The X blade Wielder
by cmsully
Summary: What would happen if a fan of the video game series Kingdom Hearts ended up wielding the most powerful weapon in all of the games? Find out as you follow Heavyn in her quest to finally end the fighting between the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness.
1. Prologue

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

Kairi sat on the paopu tree, staring out toward the ocean. She knew she shouldn't be worrying, that Sora and Riku could handle anything that came their way, but still she worried. It had been almost two months since her two best friends left to take their Mark of Mastery exam, and she had heard no word on how they did. She sighed, "It's just like two years ago, when they saved the worlds from Organization XIII."

She jumped down and started walking back toward her rowboat.

"I mean, is it too much trouble to send a messenger? Or even just a simple letter in a bottle?" she asked herself as she opened the door of the shack that connected the tiny islet to the island. Briefly she paused, looking around to see if maybe they had sent Pluto with a letter in his mouth, which she had heard from Donald was how he and Goofy started their journey that eventually led to Sora. She rather liked Pluto, especially since he was locked up in The World That Never Was with her when Saïx decided to kidnap her to manipulate Sora to release hearts so that Kingdom Hearts could be created. He was a bright spot in those dark days in that prison cell before her own Nobody Naminé broke her out, enabling her to reunite with Sora and Riku.

"Oh, it's no use. It's always been like this. Sora and Riku get to have these amazing adventures, and I'm just stuck waiting here, hoping that they come back," she muttered as she slammed the door on the other side of the shack. She stalked toward the dock, continuing to mutter to herself, "Either that, or I get kidnapped and have to wait to be rescued."

"Can't I do ANYTHING to help them!" She yelled toward the sky.

"You could come with me, Kairi," came a faintly familiar voice.

She turned, spotting a man dressed in the black cloak that Organization XIII used to wear. His hood was down, and she recognized him. Even though she had only met him when he was both a Nobody and a Heartless, she still recognized him. He smiled an evil smile.

"Xehanort!" Kairi exclaimed with shock. "But, I thought..."

"That Sora and Riku finished me off for good?" He asked, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her, clearly enjoying her confusion. "Turns out, they did me a favor. See, when a person becomes a Heartless and a Nobody, and both are defeated in the order of their creation, the person returns to being a whole person again. What's more, when my Nobody was destroyed, I regained the memories that were lost when Ansem the Wise first found me." He stopped within arms reach of her. "I finally remember my original plans, and you're going to help me, Princess."

"Why would I ever agree to help you? You're pure evil!" Kairi shot back.

He grabbed her wrist, preventing her from escaping. "I don't believe that was a request, Princess," he said as she struggled in vain against his grip, "I believe that was a statement."  
"NOOOOO!" Kairi screamed as he opened a portal of darkness.

* * *

Worlds away, Heavyn awoke with a start. "What a weird dream," she muttered, glancing around her (slightly) messy room. Her gaze lingered on the Kingdom Hearts poster that was on the opposite wall of her bed. "That's it, no more playing Kingdom Hearts just before bed," she thought to herself. She brightened as she looked at her calendar. "That's right! Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded comes out today! I can't wait to play it!" she exclaimed, jumping out of bed, not knowing of the adventure that lay ahead.


	2. Chapter 1

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Heavyn dear. I know how much this job meant to you, but I just can't afford to keep the shop open anymore. I'm going to have to let you go," said Heavyn's boss, old Mrs. Lemanski.

"Isn't there anyway I can help you stay open longer?" asked Heavyn, not liking the thought of leaving the little retail shop that (along with playing Kingdom Hearts in her free time) had kept her sane through this past year. Panicking, she thought aloud, "Maybe if I could convince the lawyers that handle the life insurance money to give me enough money to…"

"Heavyn, honey, even if you managed to get the money that the life insurance is giving you to continue living in your family's house to help pay for the shop, it still won't be enough. With the economy down the toilet, people just don't want to shop in little stores anymore. They would rather save money, and big department stores can afford to work at a loss, unlike us. I'm sorry, but I would rather you keep using the life insurance money to keep your family's memory alive instead of wasting it on this poor, outdated place."

"But, but… what about you? What are you going to do?"

"I've decided to retire and move in with my daughter's family. After all, having newborn twins is hard on any new mother, and my daughter is no exception. She'll need all the help she can get, and with the passing of my dear husband, lord rest his soul, I've no need to keep living in my old home. I really do appreciate all that you've done, especially with what's happened with you this past year. Unfortunately, however, as much as I'd like to, I can't help you to find a new job. Since that new department store came in, all of my other friends have gone out of business, and the only employers left are perfectly horrid in my personal opinion."

Heavyn sighed, not disagreeing with her, but not liking what she was hearing, either. She _needed_ this job to keep her mind off of what happened. She asked with despair in her voice, "Is there really _nothing_ I can do?"

Mrs. Lemanski nodded. "Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do." She put a hand on the poor girl's shoulder, saddened by the look of utter defeat in those violet eyes. She remembered how those eyes used to light up the entire room when Heavyn laughed, and the poor girl would never know how much joy Heavyn used to bring to other people. In fact, she would have gone out of business much, much sooner, but many people would still come in just to hear Heavyn's laughter fill the room. Even after the accident, Heavyn had still managed to warm people's hearts by solving any problem that she could. Recently, that warm laughter had just started to come back also, but unfortunately it was unlikely that Mrs. Lemanski would ever hear it again. "I do wish you the best of luck, Heavyn. I hope we can still keep in touch! After all, I want to hear more about that lovely game that you're playing!"

"About that game, Mrs. Lemanski…," started Heavyn.

"What? Don't tell me you finished it already?"

"Yup. I finished it late last night. I just couldn't put it down! It's definitely one of the best games of the series," stated Heavyn with obvious pride in her voice.

"You finished that game in, what, six days?"

"Actually… it was five days. It's a new record for me!"

"Well, then I know what to get my grand-nephew for Christmas, don't I?" chuckled Mrs. Lemanski. "I know how much of your recovery from the accident was due to playing those Kingdom Hearts games, and I hope you never grow too old for them, Heavyn. Oh dear, look at the time! I promised my daughter I'd be at the hospital as soon as I closed up the shop!"

"Whoops! I guess I kept you here too long talking about Kingdom Hearts, didn't I? Well, I better get out of here so you can keep your promise, Mrs. Lemanski! You know what I always say about promises- you should never break a single one you make! Good-bye!" Heavyn said as she dashed out the door.

"Wait! I didn't give you my daughter's phone number… oh it's no use. Once she gets going, there's no stopping her," sighed Mrs. Lemanski. "Oh, well, I'm sure she'll remember and come running back in here for it!"

* * *

"Phew… I think I'm far enough away now," thought Heavyn as she slowed to a walk. She was grateful that Mrs. Lemanski had brought up Kingdom Hearts. If she hadn't, Heavyn knew that she would have burst out crying right then and there. She hated to let others see her cry, so she always tried to keep up a cheerful façade to make sure that no one ever saw the tears. It had become easier as time went by, but now…

"What am I going to do? As much as I'd like to, I can't just sit around playing Kingdom Hearts all the time. Sure, the insurance money will let me do that if I want, but having a job meant that I wouldn't have to worry about a thing even if the economy went down the drain," she thought aloud as she slowly walked home. "Plus… it enabled me to keep my mind off of what happened last year. Now, though… what am I going to do?"

* * *

"Well, that was a whole lot of nothing!" grumbled Heavyn as she brought her trash to the curb. She had just finished talking to various potential employers who all told her the same thing. No jobs available. She sighed. It had been two days since she was laid off, but to her it seemed like two years had passed.

"Oh, well. I guess I'll stop looking for the day," sighed Heavyn as she started to walk back up the driveway. "Maybe tonight's the night I'll unlock the Blank Points video in Birth by Sleep!"

Suddenly, she heard a groan of pain. She froze, for no one ever came here unless they had to. Thanks to the unfounded rumors that her house was haunted, not even her supposed friends came anymore. She wanted nothing more than to run back inside the house, but she knew that she had determine whether someone was really in trouble or if it was just the wind.

"H-Hello? Is anyone there?" she called, half-hoping no one would answer. The groan of pain came again, this time from the side of the house. She ran over and stood in shock. Sitting against her house was a boy no older than she, bleeding from several wounds. Blood stained his platinum-white hair. He wore a strange, organic-looking black, blue and red body suit with what looked like a white half-skirt. He looked up, revealing blue-green eyes that did not look like they were seeing anything through the pain, then immediately passed out.

Heavyn gasped, for she recognized this boy. Impossibly, one of the characters from Kingdom Hearts was sitting there right in front of her. What's more, this was a character that was thought to have died.

"It couldn't be… the Riku Replica?"


	3. Chapter 2

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Whew… thank goodness that the wounds look worse than they actually are," Heavyn said as she finished cleaning up the Riku Replica. She looked at his face, worry creasing her brow and amended, "Although, it looks like he's going to have some serious bruises, and he may have a concussion." Never before had she felt so grateful to have taken that Advanced First Aid class two years ago in preparation for a camping trip, even though her family had assured her that it wouldn't be necessary. Thankfully, that vacation turned out injury free, but she still rehearsed her skills just in case, especially after the accident last year.

"Well, I've done all I can for now. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon!" she said as she put away the first-aid kit. She looked back at his sleeping form. "I wonder where he got all those injuries…" she pondered, just one of many questions that were running around in her mind. One thing she didn't wonder about, however, was how he managed to survive the events of Castle Oblivion. It was obvious to her that instead of fading away like the game suggested, he made a portal to someplace else like Axel did the last time he faced off against Sora in that same game.

She was pulled out of her reverie by a soft moan coming from her patient. Rushing back to his side, she was pleased when his eyes slowly opened. "Hey, you're awake!" she said softly, not wanting to scare him.

Hearing her voice, he opened his eyes completely and looked toward her. His eyes widened as he saw a girl standing there with a kind expression in her violet eyes and a kind smile on her face. She looked to be about 5'1", with long black wavy hair and delicate features. She wore a purple long-sleeved t-shirt that matched her eyes perfectly, black slacks, and black shoes. Around her neck was a delicate silver chain with a silver heart pendant, and on her right ring finger was a silver ring that was in the shape of two hands clasping a heart wearing a crown.

"Who… who are you?" he asked as he tried to sit up.

"Whoa! Take it easy, your wounds may reopen if you sit up too quickly!" she exclaimed as she helped him up. "Oh, and my name's Heavyn. It's nice to meet you, Repliku!"

"Repliku?"

"What… oh! Sorry, that's just the name that your fans gave you. If you want me to call you something else…" Heavyn stammered, her embarrassment clearly showing on her face.

"My… fans? What fans? What are you talking about?" he inquired, confusion now showing on his face.

"Oh, well, um… in this world, we learn about what's going on with other worlds via stories. However, we've been doing this for so long that we've forgotten about the other worlds, so we think the stories are make-believe. It just so happens that your story, along with Sora's and Riku's stories, was one of those that made it here," she hurriedly explained, coming up with an explanation that she thought would explain everything.

"…Okaaay," he said with disbelief clearly showing on his face.

"It's true and I can prove it!" she stated with a hand on her hip.

"Prove it."

"Well, you're a Replica of Riku made by Vexen of Organization XIII in Castle Oblivion, you've faced off against both Sora and Riku, you thought for a while that you WERE the real Riku, made a promise to Naminé to always protect her, regained the memory of who you really are, killed Zexion of Organization XIII, then managed to convince everyone that you died by pretending to fade in front of Riku when you actually made a portal to someplace else, right?"

Shocked, he asked, "How did you know all that?"

"I told you, your story was one of those that made it here," she stated matter-of-factly. "You actually have a lot of fans on this world. Now let me guess, you actually don't LIKE to be known only as Riku's Replica, right?"

"Riiight…"

"So, the fans decided to refer to you as Repliku. It lets us tell the difference between you and Riku, while acknowledging that you have a strong connection to Riku, being his Replica."

"Repliku, huh… I like it," he said. "I'm going to call myself that from now on!"

"Cool. Now, how are you feeling? I took care of your wounds as best as I could, but I wasn't sure if you had a concussion or not," said Heavyn, kneeling down and looking into his eyes to see if his pupils were dilated.

"I feel like a Large Body Heartless landed on top of me, but otherwise fine… wait, you took care of my wounds? Why?" demanded Repliku.

"Because you were obviously hurt, duh! What kind of person do you think I am?"

"Uh…"

Heavyn stood up, crossing her arms with obvious displeasure. "Look, I help people whenever I can. I've always been that way. I'm sorry if that bothers you!"

"No, no, no I-I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry, I…!" Trying to remedy the situation, he tried to explain, "You see, I-I-I'm just not used to people helping me without some sort of ulterior motive. I've just gotten so suspicious… truly, I am sorry."

She glowered at him for a minute, then a dazzling smile appeared on her face. "Well, that makes sense. I forgive you!"

"You… forgive me? That easily?" he asked.

"Yep. After all, we're friends now, aren't we?"

"Friends… you really want to be my friend? Even after knowing what I am?" he asked with wonder in his voice. In his wildest dreams he could never have imagined this.

"Of course! No matter how you were created, you're still a person with feelings. Here on this world, there are identical twins whose personalities are completely different. Just think of yourself as Riku's twin!" she cheerfully said.

Repliku's eyes started to fill with tears.

"Wait… why are you crying?" Heavyn asked with panic rising in her voice.

"Because… I'm so happy! I never thought that anyone would ever be my friend after knowing what I am. I purposely kept myself away from people because I always thought that no one would be willing to be friends with someone like me," he said with a smile that lit up his face.

Heavyn laughed, "Well, now you don't have to worry about never making friends again. Plus, it doesn't look like you have a concussion which is always a good thing. Come on, let's get you into some clothes that aren't torn to shreds. My brother's old clothes should do the trick."

* * *

"Wow! This is really good! What did you call this dish again?" asked Repliku as he ate some food that Heavyn made for him.

Heavyn chuckled and replied, "It's macaroni and cheese with hot dogs mixed in. I'm glad you like it! My mom used to always make this for my siblings and me when we were younger, and I've never outgrown it."

Repliku looked up from his food and asked, "You know, you've mentioned your family several times now. Where are they?"

Heavyn's eyes took on a sad cast as she replied, "Well… they died last year. I'm the only one left."

Shocked, he said, "Oh… I didn't know. I'm sorry"

"No… it's okay. You would've asked sooner or later. I just…," Heavyn took a deep breath, then continued, "I just miss them so much."

Repliku stared at his food, unsure of how to comfort his new friend. Looking around for a distraction, he noticed a strange stick leaning against the doorway. It looked like someone cut it straight from the tree, cut off any extra twigs, and polished it up with the bark still on it. A large white egg-looking thing was perched right on top. Hoping it'd work as a good distraction, he asked, "Hey, what's that stick thing against the doorway?"

Heavyn looked to where he was pointing, and answered, "Oh, that's just the walking stick that my dad got me. I keep it there for when I go to the cemetery to visit my family because lately there have been all sorts of weirdoes hanging around there, and I want to have at least some protection. It's actually stronger than it looks, and the white onyx stone on top is pretty heavy so that if I have to, I can hit someone on top of the head hard enough to knock him out." Noticing the confused look that appeared on his face when she mentioned the cemetery, she explained, "A cemetery is where we bury the bodies of our loved ones once they have died. I was actually thinking of going there tonight, but then I found you against my house so I decided not to."

"Well, there's no reason why you still can't go. Um… I know! I'll escort you!"

Heavyn started, "Wait… what?"

"You heard me! After all, you said yourself that you like to have some protection. Today, that'll be me! Besides, I would like to see this cemetery and see where you go to visit your family," stated Repliku, proud of his idea.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? After all, you were recently injured," asked Heavyn with concern in her voice.

"I feel much better now, thanks to you! And I just wouldn't feel right if you didn't go because of me," reassured Repliku, concerned that she wouldn't take him up on his offer.

"Well… if you feel up to it, I guess it's fine with me! Now, let's put away the dishes and get ready to leave."

* * *

"Huh… so this is a cemetery," said Repliku as he looked around. "It kinda looks like a nicer version of a graveyard."

Heavyn, who was carrying a large bouquet of flowers and her walking stick, looked at him and replied, "Well, some people call cemeteries graveyards, so I guess you could call it that. To me, though, the word graveyard is just too spooky, so I prefer to call it a cemetery."

Repliku nodded, continuing to look around. It really was nicer than that graveyard where he found those annoying Vexen clones. All he had wanted to do was to leave the graveyard, but they kept trying to make him fight. He had to destroy them because they absolutely refused to leave him alone.

Heavyn had walked a few steps by this time, and she noticed that he was staring off into space.

"Heeeeey! Earth to Repliku!"

"Wha…?" He looked up to see that Heavyn had gone ahead of him a few paces and was now trying to get his attention. "Oh… sorry. Guess I got lost in my thoughts."

"I could see that," Heavyn snickered. "Come on, it's this way."

They arrived at a large statue of an angel with outspread wings. On the base of the angel four names were written, along with the words, "May they rest in peace forever." Heavyn laid the bouquet of flowers at the base, then they stood there in silence for several minutes.

"Repliku?"

"Hmm?"

"I know that this is a question that you may not want to answer, but I have to ask… How did you get injured?"

Repliku sighed. "Well, I didn't want to upset you, since you're my friend, but since you asked… I was attacked."

Heavyn gasped, "What? By who?"

"I was attacked… by Xehanort."

"You called?" came an evil voice.

Heavyn and Repliku spun around. There stood Xehanort himself with a satisfied look on his face.


	4. Chapter 3

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"How did you manage to find me, Xehanort?" Repliku demanded while summoning his sword Soul Eater.

Xehanort smiled and said, "I will always be able to track you down, boy. Now, come with me quietly, X-blade!"

"Why do you keep calling me that? I don't even wield a Keyblade!"

"No, but since you're Riku's Replica, you could wield Riku's Keyblade if you really wanted to," Heavyn realized with shock in her voice as she held her walking stick in a defensive stance. Her eyes narrowed as she realized in that moment that Xehanort had regained all the memories that were lost when he fought against Aqua, and he was after Repliku for Ventus' former role.

Repliku glanced down at his new friend, admiring her bravery against Xehanort. "Are you serious?"

Heavyn nodded. She remembered how Xion, a Replica of Roxas, was able to wield Sora's Keyblade alongside Roxas. She narrowed her eyes. Xehanort looked at her, seeming to notice her for the first time.

"Humph. Clever girl. Although, if you think that twig can stop me, then you're not as clever as you think you are."

"Don't insult my friend!" Repliku yelled. Xehanort slowly turned back toward him, amusement dancing in his yellow eyes.

"Your friend?" said Xehanort scornfully. "How can you have friends when you're not even a real Somebody! You're just a Replica!"

"It doesn't matter how he came into being!" Heavyn shot back. "What matters is that he has the same feelings as a normal person!"

Xehanort laughed. The sound of his laughter sent chills down Heavyn's spine as she continued to stand her ground. She hoped that he couldn't tell how scared she was, for she knew that he could send Heartless throughout her world without a second thought.

As if he could read her thoughts, Xehanort demanded, "Well, boy, let's make this simple. Either you come with me, or I allow the Heartless to destroy your friend and her world!"

Heavyn and Repliku gasped. Xehanort laughed again.

Repliku bowed his head and lowered Soul Eater. Heavyn's eyes filled with tears, for she knew exactly what his choice was.

"Repliku, you don't have to do this! Our world is tough, we can handle the Heartless!" she cried. "Please..."

"I'm sorry, Heavyn," Repliku interrupted. "I can't let you, my only friend, be hurt by this man." He asked Xehanort, "If I go with you, do you promise to leave this world alone?"

"I promise on my Keyblade."

"Fine." Repliku walked toward Xehanort as Xehanort opened a portal of darkness. As both of them walked through it, Heavyn's mind was racing on how she could stop this. She realized that she needed to follow them.

She looked back towards the grave and whispered, "Mom, Dad, Michael, Angela… I'm sorry. I have to do this." Grasping her family's memory close to her heart to be her light, she dived through the portal just before it closed.

* * *

"Here we are, X-blade," said Xehanort as they arrived on the other side of the portal, "Home sweet home."

Repliku looked around, then realized where they were. "I thought this castle was destroyed by Sora and Riku when they defeated your Nobody," he said.

"It was. When I was restored, however, I realized the usefulness of this world, so I rebuilt The Castle That Never Was. After all, this world is a convenient place to summon Kingdom Hearts when the time is right, for it exists between the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness," replied Xehanort, his eyes betraying a slight hint of irritation when Sora was mentioned. "Now come. Time is short, and we have a lot of work to do before Riku comes for Kairi."

Repliku turned at that statement. "What do you mean, 'When Riku comes for Kairi'? What did you do to Kairi?"

"I haven't harmed her, if that's what you're implying. I've merely invited her to stay here in the castle."

"You mean you kidnapped her! Release her, or the deal is off, Xehanort!" shouted Repliku, summoning his sword again.

Xehanort backhanded Repliku, sending him flying. "How dare you order me about, boy! What is Kairi to you, anyway? As I recall, you two have never even me-," Xehanort paused as realization kicked in. "That's right, Kairi is Naminé's heart, isn't she? And you made a promise to Naminé to 'protect her' didn't you?" Xehanort laughed, "Well, looks like you're going to have to break that promise, for I need her to lure Riku here!"

"Why would you need Riku?" asked Repliku as he wiped the blood from his lip.

"He needs him to become his new body!"

Repliku's eyes widened as Xehanort turned around. There stood Heavyn with her walking stick in hand and an angry expression on her face.

"Heavyn!" Repliku burst out.

"You! How did you get here?" demanded Xehanort.

"I followed you through the portal," answered Heavyn matter-of-factly. "I refuse to allow my friend to share Ventus' fate!"

"What do you know of Ventus? For that matter, how did you know that I was going to use Riku as my new body?" asked Xehanort.

"I know exactly what happened over ten years ago, Xehanort! I know that your current body doesn't belong to you, it belongs to Terra! You never change your ways," she replied with a contemptuous tone .

"Sooo… you know what happened over ten years ago?" asked Xehanort.

"Of course I do!" she answered, not liking the strange glint that was starting to form in his eyes. It gave her the creeps.

"Then… you know where Ventus and Aqua are?"

"Actually, I do. However, if you're thinking I'm going to tell you, then forget about it! You messed up their lives enough!"

Xehanort stepped forward, his eyes starting to glint with anger. "Tell me where they are!" he demanded as darkness started to swirl around his body.

Repliku stared, wondering why Heavyn was continuing to antagonize Xehanort when they both knew that she had no chance against him. It was almost like she was deliberately making Xehanort focus on her and her alone. Heavyn's and Repliku's eyes locked, and he realized what she was doing. He nodded his head in acceptance, knowing that now he would probably never see his friend again.

"Thank you," he mouthed as he crept away.

Heavyn gave him the tiniest of nods as she continued to taunt Xehanort, "Why should I tell you? After all, you're SUPPOSED to be some great Keyblade Master, yet you keep getting your butt kicked by kids a quarter of your age! I mean, Sora kicked your butt TWICE, and he's young enough to be your grandson, you loser!"

"THAT'S IT!" Xehanort yelled, "You mentioning that brat Sora is the last straw!" He disappeared from Heavyn's sight. Heavyn looked around, but did not see the hand that was aimed for the back of her head. The hand struck, and Heavyn's vision went black.

Xehanort looked down at the unconscious girl at his feet. He wanted nothing more than to take her life right then and there, but she had precious information on the whereabouts of Eraqus' students. He looked around, and found that the Replica had escaped while his attention was elsewhere. He screamed in frustration, then his gaze returned to the girl.

"You may have won this round, girl, but I shall win the war. The Replica will return for you, and I shall capture him when he does. When he is mine, you shall give me the information I desire in a foolish attempt to try and win his freedom, and then you will die. In the meantime…," Xehanort said as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, "I shall allow you to keep Kairi company." He laughed as he took her to the dungeon.


	5. Chapter 4

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Heavyn groaned. Her head throbbed and she was lying on a very cold surface. She slowly opened her eyes to find that she was lying on a concrete floor. Head still throbbing, she slowly sat up.

"Where… am I?" she mused as she rubbed her head. As she looked around, she noticed that the door to this place was a heavy metal door with bars covering a small window. There was a small bed with no visible blankets and a small bucket.

"Am I in a cell? How did…," her voice trailed off as she remembered the last few moments of her encounter with Xehanort.

"That butt-munch knocked me out!" she exclaimed loudly, the pain in her head replaced by extreme indignation. However, she was surprised that she was still alive. After all, she had been insulting him expecting that he was going to kill her. At the time, she felt that it was the only way to make sure that Repliku got away safely, and she wasn't ashamed to admit that she also wanted to see her family again.

"Hmmm… I guess he really wants to know where Ventus and Aqua are. That's gotta be the only explanation for him keeping me alive," she mused.

"Is someone else down here?" came a frightened yet determined voice.

Heavyn stood up and walked toward the door. "Who's there?" she called, curious to know who else Xehanort locked up.

"Thank goodness! I thought I was going to be alone down here! Oh, and my name's Kairi," replied the relief-filled voice.

"Kairi? The one who's best friends are Sora and Riku?" Heavyn said with shock in her voice.

"Yeah… wait. How did you know who I am? And who are you?" Kairi's voice answered.

"My name's Heavyn. I come from a world where the stories of other worlds are documented, however we've been doing it for so long that we think that there are no other worlds and that we make the stories up. Sora's and Riku's story were two of those that made it."

Silence filled the dungeon, then, "Are you serious?"

"I'm serious."

"Okaaay… I guess that makes sense. Why are you locked up?" Kairi asked.

Heavyn sighed, "I think Xehanort wants me to cough up some information that he wants."

"Okay. Any ideas on how we can get out of here?"

"Unfortunately, not at the moment."

"Oh."

Silence filled the dungeon again. Heavyn inspected the bars on the window. The iron bars were an inch thick, and they were tightly packed together. She tugged, hoping that the entire thing was loose, but was disappointed. Heavyn walked to the bed and sat on it. She racked her brain trying to think of a solution to this mess. Then it struck her.

"That's it!" she shouted.

"What?" Kairi's asked, curiosity filling her voice.

"Kairi, do you remember a blue-haired lady named Aqua who protected you from some monsters and laid a charm on your necklace?"

"Actually… yes I do. I haven't thought about her in a while, though. Why?"

"Do remember the weapon she was carrying, the one you touched while hiding behind her?" Heavyn asked, excitement filling her voice.

"It was… a Keyblade!" Kairi realized as she looked back on that day.

"Exactly!"

"Wait… I'm not following you. How is this going to help us?" asked Kairi, confused as to how this would help their situation.

"Well, did you know that if someone touches a Keyblade Master's Keyblade, and it doesn't disappear on them, then that means that the person will be a Keyblade Wielder one day?"

"Nooo… wait. Are you saying…" Kairi paused as it dawned on her where Heavyn was coming from.

"Yes! When you touched Aqua's Keyblade, you gained the power to wield a Keyblade! All you have to do is summon it, then you can break us out of here!" Heavyn said with triumph in her voice.

"Actually… I've never summoned a Keyblade. I've only wielded a Keyblade that was lent to me by Riku. How do I know if I can even do it?" Kairi said glumly.

"Kairi! Just because you haven't done it doesn't mean that you can't! All you have to do is remember how that Keyblade felt in your hand, then will it to come to you!" Heavyn retorted.

Kairi sighed, "Okay, I guess I'll try…" She closed her eyes, remembering the day that she was reunited with Sora and Riku again. She remembered how the Keyblade that Riku gave her felt so right, like it was a missing piece of her. Grabbing on to that feeling, she held her hand out in front of her. Suddenly, she grasped something. She opened her eyes to find that she had succeeded at summoning Riku's… no, _her_ Keyblade.

"I… I did it! I can't believe it! I'm a Keyblade Wielder!" Kairi excitedly exclaimed, beaming now that she realized that she didn't have to depend on others to rescue her anymore.

"Great! Now, let's get out of here!" Heavyn responded, a large smile forming across her face at the obvious excitement of Kairi.

"Got it!" Kairi pointed her Keyblade at the door to her cell. A stream of light shot forth, and the sound of a lock being undone echoed across the dungeon. She hurried out, then noticed all the identical doors. She called out, "Hey! Which cell are you in?"

"This one!" came Heavyn's voice as an arm covered with a purple sleeve came waving out of one of the doors. Kairi rushed over and repeated the process. She grinned at how good that felt.

Heavyn stepped out of the cell and saw Kairi for the first time. She held her hand out and said with a smile, "It's nice to finally meet you."

Kairi reached out and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Cool. Now let's get out of here!"

* * *

"How do we know which direction we should go?" Kairi asked as they ran through the castle.

"Well, I figure that we should go up until we can find a window that'll let us see outside. Then, we can plan from there," Heavyn replied, her eyes constantly on the lookout for Xehanort.

"Sounds good."

They continued running. Turning a corner, they skidded to a stop as they came across some familiar creatures (at least to Kairi).

"Oh no! Shadow Heartless!" Heavyn exclaimed, her eyes widening at her first look of the Heartless. They were a _lot_ more frightening in person.

"Don't worry! I got this!" Kairi said as she stepped around Heavyn, Keyblade in hand. Within moments the Heartless were defeated.

"Wow… you're good."

"Thanks! After all, I did spar with Selphie sometimes," Kairi said with pride in her voice. "Let's keep going!"

"Right!"

* * *

"Geez… is there any windows in this place at all?" Heavyn grumbled, feeling a little breathless. They had been running for about fifteen minutes, and they had not found a single window.

"To be honest, I don't think that there are," Kairi replied, panting a little.

"Okay. Let's stop to catch our breath for a minute," said Heavyn, slowing down.

"Good idea!" Kairi agreed.

They stood there for about a minute, quickly trying to catch their breath.

"Ow!" Kairi suddenly cried out, clutching her back.

"What's wrong?" Heavyn asked, concerned.

"Something just clawed at my back!"

They both turned around. Crouched there was a Heartless that Heavyn had hoped they would never come across.

"Crap! A Neoshadow!" As the Neoshadow struck again, both girls dived to the side.

"Heavyn, what are we going to do? I don't think I'm strong enough yet to defeat it!" cried Kairi with panic rising in her voice.

"I don't know, Kairi!"

Suddenly, a battle cry trumpeted forth. The Heartless turned, but it had no chance against the new foe. As the Heartless vanished, the newcomer stood up and turned towards Heavyn.

A smile broke out on Heavyn's face as she looked up and recognized their rescuer.

"Repliku!"


	6. Chapter 5

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Are you guys alright?" Repliku asked, relief showing on his face as he looked at his friend. Ever since he saw Xehanort take Heavyn away, he had been sneaking around the castle trying to find her and Kairi. It was pure luck that he happened to be further down the hallway when he had heard Kairi cry out.

"I'm fine, but Kairi got clawed," Heavyn answered as she stood up. She hurried over to Kairi, Repliku close behind her. They both kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you feeling any pain, Kairi?" Heavyn asked. Repliku just stared at the girl who was Naminé's heart. At first glance, they looked nothing alike since this girl was a redhead and Naminé was a blonde. However, as he looked closer, he could see the similarity in the shape of the face and eyes. He gave a little smile, seeing Naminé in the determination of this girl's eyes.

"I feel alright, Heavyn," Kairi answered, giving a curious glance at the newcomer. He looked so much like Riku that it was hard not to stare.

"Oh, right! You guys have never officially met! Repliku, this is Kairi. Kairi, this is Repliku," Heavyn said, noticing the curious glances the two were giving each other.

"'Officially met'? What do you mean by that?" asked Kairi.

Heavyn smiled and replied, "I think I'll let Repliku answer this one."

Repliku gave Heavyn a mock glare and answered, "Well, I… you see, I know Naminé."

"You've met Naminé? Where?" Kairi eagerly asked. She was excited that she finally met someone who knew her Nobody, and couldn't wait to ask him about her.

"I…I'd rather not say," replied an uncomfortable Repliku, looking down towards the floor. He wasn't sure that Kairi would have the same reaction as Heavyn about him being a Replica. Kairi's face filled with disappointment.

Noticing how uncomfortable Repliku was getting and having a good idea as to why, Heavyn stood up and instantly changed the subject, "You know, we've been here for a while now. Let's get moving before someone else finds us."

Repliku looked back at Heavyn, gratitude clearly showing in his eyes. "You're right. We should get going." He stood up, and then held out his hand to Kairi. Kairi, surprised, took it and stood up with his help.

"Heavyn, Kairi, you guys look beat. Take these Hi-Potions that I found before we head out," Repliku said as he held out two small bottles that were emblazoned with stars.

Heavyn grinned as she took the offered bottle. She had always wanted to try one of these! She opened it up, and took a sip. Heavyn's eyes widened as the taste of her favorite candy filled her mouth and a pleasant warmth filled her body. She quickly finished off the rest of the bottle. Next to her, Kairi downed her bottle in one gulp. As soon as both bottles were empty, they disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"Oh, so **that's** what happens to the empty bottles," Heavyn thought to herself. She smirked as one of the great mysteries of Kingdom Hearts was solved right in front of her eyes.

"Alright, let's get moving again. Oh! I almost forgot! Wait here for a second," Repliku said as he dashed back the way he came. Within seconds, he came running back with a familiar object held in his hands.

"Hey! You saved my walking stick!" said Heavyn excitedly as she took it from Repliku's hands. She had been wondering what had happened to it ever since she woke back up.

"Yeah, well, I noticed Xehanort left it behind when he took you to the castle, and I figured that you would want it back, so…I decided to grab it for you," said Repliku, grinning at his friend's reaction.

Heavyn grinned back. "Thanks! Now let's get going!"

"Right!" said Kairi and Repliku in unison.

* * *

Repliku led the girls through the castle towards the place where he had snuck in. As they were running, Kairi asked, "By the way, I almost forgot to ask. What were you doing here in the castle anyway?"

"Well, I came to rescue you guys. I figured that Xehanort wouldn't be expecting me to be in the castle so soon after our last meeting, so I snuck in as soon as I could," answered Repliku.

"Repliku! I taunted Xehanort like I did so that I could buy you time to get away from him! You didn't have to try and rescue us!" said a slightly irritated Heavyn. Secretly, though, she was happy that he came to break them out of the castle.

"I know that, but I wouldn't have felt right if I ran off and left you and Kairi here at Xehanort's mercy. Plus, I'm tired of running from him. It's all I've been doing for the past year," he replied, his eyes hardening at the thought.

"Repliku…" Heavyn noticed the look on his face and grew worried. "Could you promise me at least one thing?"

Repliku looked back at her and saw her worried look. "Anything, Heavyn."

"Could you promise me that you won't do anything rash?"

Repliku smiled a reassuring smile as he answered, "I promise."

* * *

They had been running for about five minutes when Repliku realized something. "Hey, I thought Xehanort would've kept you guys in cells. How are you guys able to try and escape?"

Heavyn grinned as she answered, "Well, he did lock us in cells. However, we broke out thanks to Kairi here."

"What?" said a shocked Repliku.

"Yup. Heavyn here helped me discover my true power as a Keyblade Wielder," stated a proud Kairi.

"Wait… you're a Keyblade Wielder now? How did Heavyn help you discover this?" Repliku's mind was blown by this revelation.

"We'll tell you when we get out of here, Repliku, don't worry," Heavyn said, her grin becoming larger when she saw how shocked Repliku became at this new development. She looked over at Kairi and noticed she was grinning also. She started to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Kairi.

"I'm laughing at both of your faces!" Kairi and Repliku looked at each other, then burst out laughing as they saw what Heavyn had seen.

"There you are!" cried a voice.

All three of them skidded to a stop as Xehanort suddenly appeared in front of them.


	7. Chapter 6

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Well, well… I was right about you, boy. I knew you would come to save your 'friend', although I admit I didn't expect you to come so soon," said Xehanort.

"Shut up!" yelled Repliku as the three of them took up a defensive pose.

Xehanort smirked until he saw the Keyblade in Kairi's hand.

"Where… where did you get that?" he asked with shock in his voice.

Heavyn and Kairi both smirked as Heavyn replied, "Ha! Wouldn't YOU like to know!"

"Yeah! Like we would ever tell you!" Kairi joined in.

Xehanort glared at Heavyn as he growled, "I know you had something to do with this. Ever since you came on the scene, my plans have been dealt serious blows." He stepped towards her, summoning his Keyblade as he did so. Heavyn's eyes widened as she took an involuntary step back.

"I have no idea how a powerless girl like yourself could do so much damage, but now it's over. I had thought to keep you alive in order to save myself quite a considerable amount of effort in finding Aqua and Ventus, but you have forced me to spend more effort in other aspects of my plan," Xehanort continued, stopping in front of Heavyn. He raised his Keyblade as he shouted, "Now, it's time to end your meddling!"

Heavyn gasped as she saw the Keyblade start to rush toward her head. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and covered her head as she ducked. She sensed that she was about to be with her family again, and prayed that they would forgive her for coming to join them so soon after the accident. All she could hope for was that Repliku and Kairi would be able to get away while Xehanort killed her.

Suddenly, the sound of blade meeting blade rang out. She lowered her arms and opened her eyes. Repliku had stopped the blade from falling, and was now struggling to keep it that way.

"Heavyn, Kairi, RUN!"

"We're going!" said Kairi as she grabbed Heavyn's arm to drag her out of harm's way. They had only taken a few steps, however, when Heavyn yanked her arm out of Kairi's grasp.

"Kairi, go on ahead!" yelled Heavyn.

"But, Heavyn, we…" Kairi began.

"GO!" interrupted Heavyn, running towards the battling Xehanort and Repliku.

Seeing the look on Heavyn's face, Kairi said, "Alright, but you better not be too far behind me!" She continued down the hallway.

Heavyn paused as she waited for an opening. Soon, there came a point when Xehanort had his back to her and his Keyblade locked with Repliku's Sword Eater. Taking advantage of the brief opening, she swung her walking stick like a baseball bat at his head. The walking stick connected with Xehanort's head and immediately broke in half. Xehanort went down on one knee, a dazed look in his eyes.

Knowing that there wasn't much time before he regained his senses, Heavyn tried to drag Repliku with her, only for him to back away.

"Repliku, we have to get out of here!" Heavyn pleaded.

"Go without me, Heavyn. I need you to watch over Kairi for me," said Repliku.

"What are you saying?"

Repliku looked at his friend, noticing the tears forming in her eyes. He forced himself to keep his voice calm as he answered, "I once made a promise to protect Naminé. Kairi is Naminé's heart, so I know that the promise transfers over to her. However, the only way it seems I can keep that promise is to force Xehanort to keep his attention on me while you and Kairi can get away safely." Not fighting the tears that were forming in his eyes, he placed his hands on Heavyn's shoulders as he pleaded, "Please, Heavyn. I know that you can keep Kairi safe. Please, promise me that you'll protect Kairi for me!"

Heavyn saw his tears and knew she had no choice but to leave him behind. She said the only thing that could help him in his fight to save her and Kairi from Xehanort.

"I promise, Repliku."

Repliku pulled Heavyn into a brief hug as he whispered, "Thank you, my friend." They separated, Heavyn picking up the broken walking stick.

"Repliku?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming to save us."

Repliku smiled as Heavyn ran off down the hallway.

* * *

"Wow… did she really get this far ahead of me?" Heavyn asked herself as she ran. As she turned a corner, two Shadow Heartless blocked her path.

"Out of my way!" Heavyn growled. As they jumped toward her, she swung the broken pieces of her walking stick. They connected, and the Heartless flew towards the wall. As soon as they hit the wall, they were vanquished. Heavyn smirked, and then continued towards Kairi.

* * *

A minute later, Heavyn heard the sounds of a fierce battle up ahead. As she turned another corner, she could see Kairi battling a swarm of Shadows.

"Kairi! Hang on, I'm coming to help!" Heavyn shouted, batting aside Heartless as she ran towards her new friend.

Kairi turned towards Heavyn. "Heavyn! What took you so long?" she shouted back.

"Sorry, I…" Heavyn's voice trailed off as she spotted a Neoshadow farther down the hall. It jumped into the floor, and Heavyn could see the spot of darkness make a beeline for Kairi.

Fueled by panic, Heavyn sped up as she shouted, "Kairi, LOOK OUT!"

Kairi turned, but the Heartless had already sprung into the air. Kairi swung her Keyblade at it, but missed. She could only watch helplessly as the Heartless prepared to strike.

Heavyn caught up with Kairi. Without thinking, she grabbed Kairi and swung her around so that Heavyn's body was between the Heartless and its target. Before she could let go of Kairi, however, the Heartless struck. Heavyn felt its claws strike at her heart, then she howled as the pain clouded her eyesight.

* * *

Simultaneously, it seemed like the world filled with both darkness and light, each battling for dominance. The longer the battle went, the more pain Heavyn felt.

In too much pain to care about what came out her mouth, Heavyn screamed, "STOP! There is too much fighting!"

"Is that how you really feel?" asked a mysterious voice.

Desperate, Heavyn cried, "YES!"

Suddenly, the battle cleared, leaving Heavyn standing alone without any pain.


	8. Chapter 7

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Heavyn looked around in disbelief at her surroundings.

"Where am…," she started to say, but trailed off when she saw what she was standing on. It was a large purple stained-glass platform that predominately featured a portrait of her with several small circles that had different faces in them, four of them darker than the rest. Her eyes widened when she recognized the faces inside the circles.

"Why, that's Sora… Riku… Kairi…," she said the person's name aloud as she walked by their portrait. She continued, "Naminé… Repliku… Roxas… Axel… Xion… Terra… Aqua… Ventus…" She paused as she saw the faces inside the darker circles.

Her eyes filled with tears. The darker circles featured her family. She wiped away the tears that were falling as her eyes wandered over her mother, father, older brother and younger sister. Instinctively, she knew that their portraits were darker than the rest due to the fact that they had already died.

"So… I guess this must be my heart," thought Heavyn aloud.

"That's right," came the mysterious voice again, this time from behind her.

Heavyn spun towards the voice. Standing there was a man who looked to be in his late forties to early fifties. He wore distinct Japanese-style clothes with a piece of armor covering his midsection and armored boots. His grey-streaked black hair was tied in a spiky-looking ponytail with one of his bangs hanging out. On his scarred face was a kindly smile which was mirrored in his brown eyes.

Heavyn gasped, for she recognized this man.

"Master Eraqus?" she said, shock and confusion filling her voice.

He chuckled as he replied, "My soul, yes, but not my heart. After all, my heart is helping Terra to keep Xehanort's darkness from overwhelming him. But you already knew this, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I do…," Heavyn answered, feeling a little overwhelmed herself. "I don't mean to sound rude, sir, but what are you doing here?"

"Well… ever since I have passed on, I have become the Keeper of the X-blade," answered Eraqus.

"Wait… what?"

* * *

Kairi stared in disbelief as her friend was enveloped in a bright light. As the light traveled, any Heartless that happened to touch it was instantly vanquished. Soon, it got to be so bright that Kairi could do nothing but cover her eyes.

* * *

The battle between Xehanort and Repliku raged on. The longer the battle went on, however, it became more obvious that Repliku was getting exhausted. Finally, there came a moment when Repliku didn't parry an attack fast enough. His blade was knocked out of his hand, and he went to his knees.

Xehanort smiled. He raised his Keyblade as he said, "Finally, my plan with you will come to fruition!"

At that moment, however, a bright light entered from the hallway that Kairi and Heavyn had entered. Xehanort gasped, for he recognized this light.

"It cannot be… NO!" he said with disbelief.

* * *

"I have come because you have fulfilled the requirements of forging the X-blade, Heavyn," said Eraqus.

"Wait. I thought that the X-blade could only be forged when a being of pure light and a being of pure darkness collide. How did I manage to do that?" asked a confused Heavyn.

"Actually, the only requirements are that the beings of pure light and darkness intersect. With a normal person, the two would indeed have to collide. However, since you are from a Fragment world, it's a little bit different. You see, you managed to be holding on to the being of pure light as the being of pure darkness attacked you. As a result, you inadvertently allowed the possibility of the X-blade being re-forged."

"Huh? What do you mean, 'from a Fragment world'?"

"You are from one of the five Fragments of the original world that was destroyed by the First Keyblade War. The five Fragment worlds are different from the rest of the other worlds due to the fact that they have kept a special skill that the original world once wielded," explained Eraqus.

"Okay, let me guess… the original world once had the ability to record stories from other parts of the world, and my world inherited that ability when it was formed?" asked Heavyn.

"Correct. Now, however, you must make a choice," answered Eraqus.

Heavyn cocked her head as she queried, "I have to make a choice? About what?"

Eraqus explained, "You must decide on whether or not you will wield the X-blade. If you choose to wield it, you must go to the remaining Fragment worlds and learn their abilities. After you do so, you will have the power to restore the original world, and the Realms of Light and Darkness will forevermore remain separate, never again to mingle. This means the end of all the fighting between the two realms. You will also be able to undo the wrongs that were dealt to my former students. However, this road is extremely dangerous, for there are those who will try to take the X-blade to unlock Kingdom Hearts prematurely and throw all the worlds into a second darkness. I believe that you can wield the X-blade for its original purpose, unlike Xehanort or any of his followers. If you choose not to wield it, however, you will be sent back to your world, and all that has happened since you left will seem like a vivid dream." Eraqus spread his arms out as he continued, "The choice is yours and yours alone, Heavyn, for there is no turning back."

Heavyn looked over at the portraits of her family as she mulled the options over in her mind. She looked back at Eraqus.

"I choose to accept the responsibility of the X-blade."

Eraqus smiled as he proclaimed, "Then go to the home of my former teacher, Master Yen Sid, and explain to him the situation. He should be able to point you in the right direction. Farewell, X-blade Wielder!"

Heavyn smiled back as a bright light surrounded her. She replied, "Farewell, Master Eraqus. I won't let you down!"


	9. Chapter 8

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Heavyn opened her eyes and looked at the weapon that had appeared in her right hand. Never in a million years would she have ever dreamed that she would wield a Keyblade, let alone the X-blade. It was a little smaller than she would've thought, yet it still was intimidating to look at. She could feel its immense power, and was humbled by the fact that she was chosen to be its wielder.

"What… what happened to you? And what is that?" came Kairi's shocked voice.

Heavyn looked up to see Kairi staring at the X-blade, surprise tinged with fear showing on her face.

"I'll explain later. First, though, we gotta get out of here!" answered Heavyn. She lifted the X-blade and willed a portal to open at the Mysterious Tower, hoping that this would work. To her surprise, a beam of light shot out from the tip of the blade, and a portal opened in front of her.

"Wow… that was easy," she commented.

"Stop right there!"

They both turned to see Xehanort, who was glaring at the X-blade.

"That blade is supposed to be MINE!" he yelled, summoning his own Keyblade. He charged, but his attack was parried by a surprised Heavyn.

"Too bad, Xehanort! The X-blade will never be yours!" Heavyn shot back, quickly recovering from the shock of the X-blade moving on its own. It seemed like the blade knew that Heavyn had no sword-fighting skills, and was fighting to protect her from being killed. A few more blows later, Xehanort flew towards the wall.

"Now, Kairi, let's go!"

"Right!"

As Kairi went through the portal, Xehanort called out, "I still have the Replica, girl! You would leave your 'friend' at my mercy?"

Heavyn closed her eyes, remembering her promise to Repliku to protect Kairi. She knew that if she went back for him now, she would be breaking that promise.

She let out a long, slow breath, then turned and glared back at Xehanort as she growled, "I promise you this, Xehanort. I will be back for my friend soon. If I find out that Repliku was harmed in any way, I will show you no mercy whatsoever!" She turned back and walked through the portal after Kairi.

* * *

On the other side of the portal, Kairi stood in awe at the size of the tower. As Heavyn made her way through, Kairi asked, "Where are we?"

"We're at the home of Master Yen Sid," answered Heavyn.

"Hey, that's where Riku and Sora took their Mark of Mastery exam! I can finally find out how they did!" exclaimed an excited Kairi as she ran towards the entrance.

"Kairi! Wait up!" shouted Heavyn as she followed Kairi into the tower.

* * *

"Wow… that was a lot of steps!" commented Heavyn as the two of them arrived at the door to Master Yen Sid's study.

"Yeah, but it's worth it!" answered a grinning Kairi.

Heavyn grinned back as she knocked on the door, hearing muffled voices on the other side.

"Come in!" came a deep voice.

Heavyn opened the door, beckoning Kairi to enter first. As soon as Kairi entered the room, a gasp was heard.

"Kairi!" shouted a high-pitched voice that could have only belonged to one person. Heavyn peered around Kairi to see King Mickey standing there with Master Yen Sid, shock clearly written on his face.

"So… you are Kairi. It's nice to finally meet you," said Yen Sid, standing up as he spoke. "And… who is your friend?"

Stepping around Kairi, Heavyn answered, "My name is Heavyn, sir."

"I see… what brings you here, Heavyn?" asked Yen Sid.

"Well sir… I've come because of this," replied Heavyn, summoning the X-blade as she did so.

"The X-blade? Don't tell me you're one of Xehanort's henchmen!" demanded King Mickey, summoning his Keyblade as he spoke.

Kairi stepped between the King and her friend as she said, "She is most definitely NOT one of Xehanort's henchmen! In fact, if it wasn't for Heavyn I would still be locked up in Xehanort's castle!" She summoned her own Keyblade as she continued, "I won't allow you to attack my friend, Your Majesty!"

"Everyone, lower your weapons!" commanded Yen Sid. As Kairi and King Mickey lowered their weapons, Yen Sid looked at Heavyn. "I see you have some explaining to do."


	10. Chapter 9

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Where to start… I think I better start by explaining how I happened to get involved in all of this," said Heavyn as she sat down across from Master Yen Sid, who was sitting at his desk. Kairi and King Mickey sat down beside her, Mickey silently making it clear that he was still suspicious of Heavyn. Master Yen Sid gestured for her to continue.

"You see, I come from a world where stories from other worlds are recorded in various forms, whether they be in books, movies, television shows, or video games. However, we have been doing it for so long that we don't realize that these stories are true, instead believing that we make the stories up. As you can probably guess, the stories of several Keyblade wielders made it to my world as part of a video game series called, 'Kingdom Hearts', and I was a huge fan.

"You see, my family… well, they died in a terrible accident about a year ago. As you could probably guess, I was devastated. While I was finding a suitable outlet for my grief, I happened to come across my little sister's collection of Kingdom Hearts games. She had always been going on about how good they were, and I was curious as to why. So, I started playing them myself, and was hooked. The more I played them, the more the pain of my family passing diminished. I felt like I was connecting with my little sister every time I played the series."

Master Yen Sid asked, "Who were the Keyblade wielders in this series?"

Heavyn smiled as she answered, "The Keyblade wielders were Terra, Aqua, Ventus, Sora, and Riku."

"I don't believe you!" Mickey interrupted.

Heavyn looked at him as she asked, "Would you like me to prove it?"

Mickey looked momentarily taken aback, but recovered himself as he answered, "Yes, I would!"

"Alright then, I'll reveal what I know about the whereabouts of Terra, Aqua, and Ventus."

Master Yen Sid queried, "You know where Terra is?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, he was the only one of Eraqus' three students we could not track down. We managed to ascertain where Ventus and Aqua were, but no matter how hard we tried we just didn't have enough clues to lead us to Terra," answered Yen Sid.

"Hang on, Master! Why don't we have her 'prove' that she knows where Ventus and Aqua are first!" implored Mickey.

Yen Sid looked at his pupil with a stern look in his eyes. Mickey lowered his eyes to the floor as he realized that he had stepped out of line.

Looking between the two, Heavyn said, "You know, Mickey does have a right to be suspicious, sir. I mean, the last time the X-blade was forged, he had to help Aqua to destroy it in order to save the worlds from Xehanort. Now, ten years later, the X-blade reappears as Xehanort tries to once again cover all the worlds in darkness. If I was him, I'd be suspicious too."

Mickey stared openmouthed as Heavyn defended his actions. He would never have thought that she would stand up for him after he had been so rude to her. Maybe she wasn't that bad after all.

Heavyn looked at Mickey. She smiled at the look on his face as she said, "Now, to answer your demands. Aqua is in the Realm of Darkness, Ventus' body is in the Chamber of Waking inside Castle Oblivion, and Ventus' heart is inside Sora's heart."

"Whoa…," said a dumbfounded Mickey. He laughed sheepishly as he continued, "I guess you do know what happened with everyone, huh?"

Heavyn nodded as she asked, "Now, can I continue?"

Yen Sid answered, "Please, proceed."

* * *

"I see… so Eraqus' spirit allowed you to wield the X-blade in the hope that the original world be restored," said Yen Sid.

"Yes, sir," answered Heavyn.

"Hmmm… well, I'm not sure how I can be of help. I had no idea that Fragment Worlds like yours even existed."

"Well, she did manage to give us valuable information, Master. Maybe we can use what we know now to find these Fragments!" stated Mickey, his suspicions about Heavyn dispelled.

"Hmmm… I suppose you're right, Mickey. However, that still leaves the question of how she would be able to learn these 'world abilities'."

"I'll be able to help!" chirped a voice.

Heavyn looked at Kairi. She asked, "Kairi, did you just say something?"

Kairi shook her head as she answered, "Noo… I thought it was you who said that."

"It wasn't me," stated Heavyn.

"It wasn't me either," stated Mickey.

"Huh… Sora and Riku aren't here, so we can rule them out, also," said Yen Sid.

"It was me!" chirped the voice again as the X-blade suddenly appeared in Heavyn's hand.

Heavyn, Kairi, Yen Sid, and Mickey looked at each other with disbelief.

"The X-blade can talk?" they all exclaimed at the same time.


	11. Chapter 10

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"I've always been able to talk! I've just never had the chance before!" said the X-blade.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected," commented Yen Sid.

"You can say that again!" remarked Kairi and King Mickey at the same time.

"So, uh, X-blade… was that you fighting against Xehanort earlier?" asked Heavyn, her mind blown by this revelation.

"Yup! I could sense that you didn't know how to fight with a blade, so I used my knowledge to protect you!" answered the X-blade.

"Wow. This is so cool!" commented Heavyn.

"Now, you mentioned that you would be able to help Heavyn learn these abilities that Eraqus spoke of?" asked Yen Sid.

"Oh, yes! You see, normal Keyblades take key-chains from various worlds. However, there are no key-chains that fit me, so instead my wielder would be able to learn an ability that the world possesses!"

"Huh… I guess that makes sense," said Mickey.

"Hey, would you also be able to tell a Fragment world from a normal one?" asked Kairi.

"Yup! Although, thanks to Heavyn's world's ability, she would be able to tell, also!"

"I would?" queried Heavyn.

"Yeah! To you, the Fragment worlds will feel out of place from the types of worlds generally featured in Kingdom Hearts games. More than likely, you would have also followed their stories!"

Heavyn looked at Yen Sid as she said, "Well, what do you think, sir?"

Yen Sid closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. When he opened them again, he remarked, "Well, I think that we're lucky that Xehanort never got his hands on the X-blade, for if he knew that the X-blade had these abilities, we would be in even more dire straits then we are now."

"Yeah, I'm glad that Xehanort didn't get a hold of me, too!" chirped the X-blade.

Heavyn looked back down at the X-blade and giggled. The X-blade reminded her of a little five year-old girl in her old neighborhood who was always so eager to please everyone. Either that, or a golden retriever puppy.

"By the way, Master Yen Sid, didn't you say earlier that Sora and Riku aren't here?" asked Kairi.

Master Yen Sid looked at her as he replied, "I did say that."

Heavyn glanced up from the X-blade as Kairi asked, "Well, sir, if you don't mind me asking, where are they? I have heard nothing from them ever since they went to take the Mark of Mastery exam two months ago."

"Well, Kairi… they went to save the worlds again," answered Mickey.

Kairi was about to ask more, but Yen Sid raised a hand as he said, "However, that is a tale for tomorrow. I can sense that you two have had a long day, and you're probably tired. Why don't you go rest now, and we'll continue this discussion later."

Heavyn yawned. She said, "You know, I didn't even realize how tired I was until you mentioned it. Are you sure it's alright if we stay here?"

"Of course it's alright. Mickey, would you mind showing them to their rooms?"

As Mickey jumped down off of his chair, Kairi and Heavyn stood up.

They both nodded their heads respectfully as they said, "Thank you for your hospitality, sir."

Yen Sid smiled as Mickey led the two of them towards their rooms.

* * *

The next morning found Kairi, Heavyn, and Yen Sid sitting in the study.

"Hey, where's King Mickey?" asked Heavyn, looking around.

"He left in order to update Sora and Riku on the current situation. After all, they may have received the message that Kairi had been kidnapped, and Sora no doubt would move worlds just to find her," answered Yen Sid.

Heavyn gave a small laugh as she replied, "You're right about Sora. After all, he even went on his knees and begged Saïx to let him see her the last time that happened."

"Wait, he did that?" said a dumbfounded Kairi.

"Yup. After all, you're the one person he'll do anything to protect!" replied Heavyn. Noticing the look in Kairi's eyes, she asked, "You mean… you didn't know?"

Kairi looked at Heavyn as she answered, "No… I didn't realize that I was that important to him. I mean, I know that he cared about me as a friend, but this…" She shook her head as she continued, "I had no idea."

"Kairi… if it bothers you, then forget I said anything," said Heavyn.

Kairi looked back at her friend with tears in her eyes as she said, "Actually, you made me very happy! I had always been afraid to tell Sora about my feelings for him because I thought that he would only see me as a friend. Now that I know he feels the same way, however, I can tell him how I truly feel!"

"I'm sure Sora would be very happy to hear that," said Yen Sid, "however, don't you want to know what's going on?"

As Heavyn and Kairi looked back towards him, he continued, "Now. When Sora and Riku came here for their Mark of Mastery exam, Mickey decided to roam the worlds to try and find Terra. However, shortly after I named Sora and Riku Masters, Mickey came back with disturbing news: the Heartless were once again on the rise, and Xehanort was behind it.

"Of course, I sent Sora and Riku to try and quell the Heartless, however something troubling happened. The Unversed had also returned."

"What? I thought they were destroyed when Vanitas was destroyed!" asked Heavyn.

"Vanitas? You mean Ventus' darkness? What does he have to do with the Unversed?" asked Yen Sid.

"He was the original Unversed! All of the other Unversed came from him," she answered.

"Well, this is even more disturbing. If that's the case…" Yen Sid trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.

"Well, it's a good thing then that we can help now, huh?" remarked Kairi.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Kairi. After all, as the X-blade pointed out yesterday, I have no skill at wielding a blade," answered Heavyn.

"Don't worry, Heavyn. Kairi and I will help you with the training, right Kairi?" chirped the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand.

"That's right!" answered Kairi.

"Hmm… that could work. I have a training room downstairs that Mickey used when he was learning to use the Keyblade. Why don't you use it while I prepare your armor? It will take a couple of days anyway, which should be enough for you to learn the basics, Heavyn," said Yen Sid.

"Wait… we get armor?" asked an excited Kairi.

"Yes. After all, it will protect you while you travel the Lanes Between," replied Yen Sid with a smile on his face.

"Sweet!" said Heavyn and Kairi at the same time. They looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Yen Sid looked surprised for a second, then started laughing along with them.

* * *

Later that day, a knock came on Yen Sid's study.

"Come in!" he called. The door opened to reveal a worried Heavyn.

"Heavyn! How did training go today?"

"It was great, but I need to ask you something."

"What can I help you with?" he asked.

Heavyn sighed as she asked, "Sir, how much has Mickey told you about what happened to Sora and Riku in Castle Oblivion?"

"Why do ask, Heavyn?"

"Well… did he tell you about Riku's Replica?"

"No… I don't recall ever hearing about a Replica."

"Well… he's my friend, and Xehanort is holding him hostage. I'm worried about him."

Yen Sid frowned as he said, "Tell me everything."


	12. Chapter 11

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

One week later, Kairi and Heavyn were standing in front of the tower facing Master Yen Sid, who was holding two small pieces of silver in his hands.

"Heavyn, Kairi, I present to you your armor amulets," he proclaimed as he held them out to the two girls.

As they took them from his hands, Kairi asked, "How do they work?"

Yen Sid replied, "First, you must attach them to a part of your body. The arm is preferred, however any body part will do. Then, when you wish to summon your armor, press down on the amulet and will your body to be covered with armor."

Heavyn nodded as she attached the amulet to her right wrist. She noticed that the amulets were identical to the emblems that Terra, Aqua, Ventus, and Master Eraqus used to wear. She looked over at Kairi and noticed that Kairi had attached hers to her left arm.

As soon as the girls looked back at him, Yen Sid continued, "Now, the next thing that you two need to learn is how to travel without a Gummi Ship. Would you please summon your Keyblades?"

Heavyn and Kairi nodded as they held out their arms and summoned their weapons.

"Now, before I continue… X-blade, can you make yourself into a glider?" asked Yen Sid, looking at the X-blade.

"Yup!" chirped the X-blade.

"All right then… have either of you ever made a portal?"

"Heavyn has," answered Kairi.

"Then, Kairi, I'll have you make this portal. All you need to do is point your Keyblade and will a portal to open."

Kairi nodded, looking a little nervous. As she pointed her Keyblade at the sky, she concentrated on making a portal. A beam of light shot out of her Keyblade as a portal appeared in the sky above them.

"Good job, Kairi!" Heavyn cheered.

"You're right, Heavyn. That was easy!" stated a grinning Kairi.

"Alright, now I would like you two to summon your armor," said Yen Sid.

The two girls nodded as they pressed down on the amulets. Immediately, a light surrounded the two girls. When it cleared, both of them were clad in armor. Heavyn's was black and silver with touches of metallic purple while Kairi's was silver and gold with touches of pinkish metal.

"Nice… I love it!" said Heavyn, admiring her armor.

"This is so awesome!" said Kairi as she looked over her own armor.

Yen Sid chuckled, then continued, "Now, the last thing that I need to teach you is how to turn your Keyblades into gliders. All you have to do is throw your Keyblade straight up into the air while you will it to turn into a glider."

"Wait! There's something we gotta do first!" chimed in the X-blade.

"What is it?" asked Heavyn.

"I need your guys' permission to give me access to your minds. If you do that, then no matter where we are in the universe I can always contact you, and you can always contact me. This way, I can also pass on any messages that you might have for each other, and I don't have to talk aloud for you to understand me," replied the X-blade.

"You can do that?" said Heavyn incredulously.

"Yup!"

"Do I also need to give you permission since I'm your wielder?" asked Heavyn.

"Nope. When you chose to accept the responsibility of being my wielder, you also gave me access to your mind," answered the X-blade.

"Well, that would certainly make it more convenient to pass along news. Very well, I give you permission to access my mind," said Yen Sid.

"I also give you permission to access my mind," Kairi said.

"Great!" chimed the X-blade as it emitted a faint glow. When the glow subsided, Kairi and Yen Sid could feel the X-blade's presence inside their minds.

"Now, if you ever have anything you need to say to either Heavyn or me and you don't want to say it aloud, just think it while concentrating on me," came the X-blade's voice inside their heads.

"Wow… this is a little weird. However, I think I can get used to it," thought Kairi.

The X-blade giggled as it said, "Okay, that's all I needed to do. Now, let's continue the lesson!"

Heavyn chuckled. Simultaneously, she and Kairi threw their Keyblades into the air. There was a brief flash of light, then two gliders descended. As they stopped in front of the two girls, Heavyn noticed that her glider was styled like a Segway while Kairi's glider was almost identical to Aqua's.

"Good job, girls. Now, your destination is Radiant Garden. I want you two to update Leon and the others on the situation, and they may have an idea as to where Sora and Riku might be. Also, Ansem the Wise's computer may have some information regarding the Fragment worlds," said Yen Sid as the two girls got onto their gliders.

"Got it," said Heavyn as Kairi nodded.

As Kairi took off and headed towards the portal, Yen Sid added, "And Heavyn?"

"Yes sir?"

"Remember what we talked about regarding Repliku," he replied.

"I will, sir," she said as she took off. As she headed towards the portal, her mind went back to that conversation.

* * *

"Hmmm…" said Yen Sid after Heavyn finished her story. He closed his eyes as he thought about the possible implications of what she had said.

Heavyn sat in the chair across from him with a worried look on her face. She knew that even though she had threatened Xehanort, that was not a guarantee that her friend wouldn't be harmed in any way. After all, although she may be the X-blade Wielder, she was still a rookie in all aspects of the word. She figured that Xehanort would not feel too intimidated by her threats, and she knew that if she were to face him again at the level she was now, she would probably lose.

"Well, Heavyn, you know as well as I that if you went back for your friend now, you would lose to Xehanort. However, having said that, we can't just leave Repliku behind," stated Yen Sid as he opened his eyes.

"What do you think I should do, sir?" she asked.

"My recommendation is that you meet up with Sora and Riku, then find at least one of the Fragment worlds and learn its ability. Then you can consider trying to rescue him. In the meantime, I can send Mickey to ascertain your friend's well-being. After all, since his plan for Repliku was foiled by you, who knows what Xehanort will do with him now."

Heavyn nodded as she said, "I know that Xehanort will probably disregard my threat. After all, I am still a rookie."

"Yes, and Xehanort was always the type to not acknowledge the power of those younger than him. After all, look what Sora was able to do," agreed Yen Sid.

Heavyn nodded again. She was relieved by his counsel, for it still gave her a chance to save her friend.

"Thank you for your advice, sir," she said as she got up to leave, however Yen Sid stopped her.

"Hang on, Heavyn. Please sit back down."

As she sat back down, he continued, "Heavyn, I know this may be hard to hear, but if you want your friend to be truly safe, there is only one course of action for him."

Heavyn cocked her head as she asked, "And what course of action would that be, sir?"

He replied, "He was made with data taken from Riku. In a sense, he is a part of Riku. If he is to be safe from Xehanort's grasp forever, Repliku must join with Riku."

Heavyn gasped as she realized what he was saying. She looked down at her hands, unable to say anything. She knew in her heart that Yen Sid was right, however she didn't want to lose her friend. The more she dwelled on it, the more pain it caused her. As she thought about it, however, she came up with a solution that would work for everybody. She looked back up at Yen Sid.

"I understand, sir. However, I want it to be Repliku's decision. I'll bring the matter up, but I want him to have the final say. After all, he's the one who'll disappear if he joins with Riku," she stated.

Yen Sid nodded as he said, "I understand your reasoning. I'll allow him to decide. After all, from what you've told me about him, I say he's earned the right to choose."

Heavyn smiled as she replied, "Thank you, sir."

"Now, get some sleep. You have some more training to do tomorrow," ordered Yen Sid.

"Yes, sir," she answered as she got up. She bowed, then left the room.

* * *

On the other side of the portal, Heavyn met up with Kairi.

"Ready?" she asked.

Kairi nodded as she replied, "Ready!"

"Alright then. Radiant Garden, here we come!" stated Heavyn as she and Kairi shot out towards their destination.


	13. Chapter 12

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Heavyn and Kairi landed just outside of Radiant Garden's Marketplace. As they willed their armor to come off and headed towards the Marketplace, Kairi asked, "Where should we go first?"

"Well, let's try Merlin's house in the Borough. After all, Merlin might know where everyone's at. Plus, we need to tell him about the current situation anyway," answered Heavyn as the two of them walked through the Marketplace.

"Okay," said Kairi as the two of them approached the steps to the Borough.

"Oh, ye wee lasses! Would ye like to try some Sea-Salt Ice Cream?" called a voice from behind them.

They turned around to find a familiar figure standing there.

"Why, if it isn't Scrooge McDuck!" said Heavyn.

Scrooge got a curious look on his face as he asked, "Do I know ye?"

"Nope, but I've heard of you," answered Heavyn. She gestured towards Kairi as she continued, "Plus, she knows your nephew Donald."

"Oh, do ye now, lass?" he asked, looking at Kairi.

"Yup. My name's Kairi. I know Donald through Sora," replied Kairi.

"Kairi? Ye wouldn't happen to be the same Kairi that the King was talking about, would ye?"

"Why? Is he here?" queried Heavyn.

"Why, of course, lass! He should be over at Merlin the Wizard's house right about now," answered Scrooge.

"Cool! That's where we were heading anyway! Thank you for your help, Mr. Scrooge!" said Kairi as she and Heavyn rushed down the steps.

"Not a problem, lasses!" Scrooge called after them.

* * *

As they walked into the Borough, Kairi asked, "Hey, I wonder if Sora and Riku are with the King?"

"It's a distinct possibility, but I wouldn't…," Heavyn started to reply, however she was cut off by a shout.

"HEEEY!" cried the voice, which came from above them.

As Heavyn and Kairi looked up, they saw a girl with short black hair waving at them.

"Yuffie!" cried Kairi happily, recognizing her from Traverse Town.

"Kairi! Long time no see!" exclaimed Yuffie as she jumped down. Landing in front of the two girls, she continued, "And you must be Heavyn. It's nice to meet you!"

Heavyn looked confused as she asked, "How do you know about me?"

Yuffie giggled as she replied, "Well, the King has been telling us about you. After all, it's not every day that TWO Keyblade wielders reveal themselves. Say, is it true that yours talks?"

"It's true!" answered the X-blade as it appeared in Heavyn's hand.

Yuffie briefly looked surprised, then started laughing as she said, "Well, I admit this is a first for me! What do you like to be called?"

"Oh, you don't have to call me anything special. I'm not picky!" replied the X-blade.

Yuffie continued laughing as she said, "Well, let me take you guys over to Merlin's. After all, I can't WAIT to see the look on Leon's face when he sees this!"

* * *

"Here we are! Home of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee!" exclaimed Yuffie as she, Heavyn, and Kairi stepped into Merlin's house.

"Who did you bring with you this time, Yuffie?" asked a young woman dressed in pink and white.

"Not more salesmen trying to sell us more crappy technology!" asked an older man with blond hair, not bothering to turn around from the large computer terminal he was working at.

"Of course not, Cid! That only happened the one time! This time, it's Kairi and the Heavyn girl that the King was talking about!" answered Yuffie.

"Kairi! It's been a long time!" exclaimed the young woman.

"Aerith! It's so nice to see you again!" Kairi said as she rushed to give the young woman a hug.

"Eh? Did you say Kairi?" asked Cid, finally turning around from the computer. "Well! So it is! How've ya been, Kairi?"

"I've been doing great!" answered Kairi. She walked back to where Heavyn was standing and continued, "Guys, this is my new friend Heavyn."

"It's nice to meet you, Heavyn! I'm Aerith! The King's told us so much about you," said Aerith.

"It's nice to meet you too, Aerith!" replied Heavyn, a large smile growing on her face.

"So, you're the Heavyn girl that the King has been going on about, eh? Ya don't look like much to me!" said Cid.

Heavyn placed a hand on her hip as she shot back, "Well, excuuuse me for not fitting to your standards!"

Cid laughed, "Well, you've got some spirit in ya, huh? I like you, girl!"

"Hey, where's Leon and the King?" asked Yuffie as she looked around.

"They said they'll be right back, they just had to check on something," answered Aerith.

"Aw, man! I was so looking forward to seeing Leon's expression when he saw the X-blade!" pouted Yuffie.

"Yuffie, there is no such thing as a talking weapon, how many times do I have to tell you?" reprimanded Cid.

Kairi and Heavyn looked at each other. Simultaneously, a mischievous grin appeared on both of their faces.

"You know, that's too bad that there's no such thing as a talking weapon. Wouldn't you agree, X-blade?" asked Heavyn.

"What do you mean, there's no such thing as a talking weapon? What do you call me then?" remarked an indignant X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand yet again.

"Whoa! It talks!" exclaimed Cid, almost falling out of his chair in shock as everyone else in the room laughed.

"Told ya!" cried Yuffie, who was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

"You should see your face!" gasped Kairi, out of breath from laughing.

"Now, now, what's all the racket?" asked an old man dressed in blue, appearing suddenly with a puff of smoke.

"Oh, Merlin! Kairi and Heavyn have just arrived!" answered Aerith.

"So I see! Right on time!" said Merlin, peering at the two girls. He walked up to Heavyn and asked, "So, you're the X-blade wielder everyone's talking about, eh?"

"Yes, sir," answered Heavyn.

"Well, have you learned any magic yet?"

"No, sir."

"Kairi, what about you?"

"I haven't learned any magic yet, sir," replied Kairi.

"Well, let's fix that! Kairi, get out your Keyblade," ordered Merlin. He made a complicated gesture with his hands as Kairi summoned her Keyblade. Suddenly, two orange orbs appeared above his head. They descended towards the girls' weapons, then disappeared as the girls felt their weapons grow as warm as if they had been left sitting in front of a roaring fire.

"There! Now you both know how to use the Fire spell! Use it wisely!" said Merlin.

"Thank you, sir!" exclaimed the two girls.

"Oh… so you two have arrived," came a voice from the door. Kairi and Heavyn craned their heads to see a brown-haired man with a large scar on his face standing there.

"Leon!" cried Yuffie.

"Hey, guys," replied Leon, "Look who we found in the Bailey." He stood aside to reveal two very familiar figures.

"Sora! Riku!" cried Kairi.

"Kairi?" cried the two boys.


	14. Chapter 13

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Kairi?" asked a shocked Sora.

"What? You mean the King didn't tell you?" replied Kairi.

"Sorry, you guys. Guess I forgot to mention that Kairi would be joining us at Merlin's," answered said King as he came in after Sora and Riku.

"Okay, but who's that with Kairi? And how is she wielding a Keyblade?" demanded Riku, staring at Heavyn.

"My name's Heavyn. I'm here to update everyone on the current situation," answered Heavyn.

"And she's wielding me because she was chosen to be my wielder!" chimed in the X-blade.

"Wait… her Keyblade talks?" exclaimed Sora.

"Of course I can talk! I'm the X-blade!"

"Huh… this is indeed unusual," remarked Leon. Ignoring the look of disappointment on Yuffie's face at his calm demeanor, he continued, "So, you're the Heavyn that the King mentioned. Why don't you go ahead and tell us what's going on."

"How much has the King told you?" asked Heavyn.

"He's told us a little bit about you and the X-blade, but he said that you would explain everything in detail," answered Aerith.

"Why don't you go ahead and start at the beginning, Heavyn? After all, I haven't been able to update Sora and Riku yet on the situation," added Mickey.

"Alright, but everyone might want to take a seat. It's kind of a long story," Heavyn said.

"Well, then, let me conjure up a couple of chairs," remarked Merlin, waving his hands as chairs sprung into existence.

As everyone who was standing sat down, Heavyn continued, "Well, let me start with how I got involved with all of this…"

* * *

"I see…," said Leon, lost in thought.

"So, let me get this straight. You come from a Fragment world that documents stories, and two stories that managed to make it there were Riku's and mine?" asked Sora.

"What's more, you need to visit the other four Fragment worlds in order to restore the original world that was lost?" added Riku.

"That's right," answered Heavyn.

"And to top it all off, you managed to help Kairi realize her potential to be a Keyblade Wielder and gained the X-blade to boot?" continued Riku.

"Yup!" replied Kairi.

"Wow…," said an overwhelmed Sora.

"That's an amazing story, Heavyn!" remarked Aerith.

"Well, I'll be. That's the most unbelievable story I've ever heard!" stated Cid.

Heavyn grinned as she said, "To be honest, if I didn't live through it myself, I wouldn't have believed it either."

"Well, we'll help you anyway we can!" exclaimed Sora.

"You can count me in!" added Riku.

"Great!" said Kairi.

"Is there a way we can help?" asked Yuffie.

"Actually, there is way you can help us. Leon, do you guys still have access to Ansem the Wise's computer?" replied Heavyn.

"We do. Why do you ask?" queried Leon.

"Well, could I have access to it? It's a long shot, but Master Yen Sid and I believe that it may have some information regarding the Fragment worlds," answered Heavyn.

"Sure, I…" Leon started to say, but was cut off by the sound of screams.

"Hold that thought. That sounded like it came from the Bailey!" cried the King.

Sora shouted, "Let's go find out!"

"Right!" answered Heavyn, Kairi, and Riku as the four of them rushed out the door.

* * *

When the four of them reached the Bailey, they were met with a strange sight. It seemed like there was nothing there. No people, no Heartless, no Unversed, nothing.

"Huh… where'd the screams come from?" asked Sora.

"I was pretty sure they came from here…" remarked Kairi.

"Guys… this might be a trap," said Heavyn.

"What do you mean?" asked Riku.

"Well, in the stories from my world, whenever the hero came into this type of situation, it always was a trap," she answered.

"Look! A Heartless!" Sora cried, running after it.

"Sora! Did you not hear a word I said?" called Heavyn.

"Too late… we might as well follow him to help bail him out," sighed Riku.

"Well, come on then! Let's go!" said Kairi as the three of them ran after Sora.


	15. Chapter 14

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

They finally managed to catch up with Sora at the old Castle Gate where Demyx was defeated. Sora was looking around, for he had lost track of the Heartless he was chasing.

"Sora! Weren't you listening to Heavyn about a potential trap?" demanded Riku.

Sora turned, then laughed sheepishly as he replied, "Sorry."

"Well, no matter. Let's go back," sighed Heavyn as she started to walk back to the Bailey. Before she took more than a couple of steps, however, a barrier sprung up on both of the exits.

"Well, Heavyn, looks like you were right about this being a trap," said Kairi as various Heartless appeared.

As the four of them summoned their weapons, Heavyn suggested, "You know, Kairi, this would be a great time to try out that new co-op attack we developed while you were training with me."

"Yeah! You're right! Sora, Riku, let us deal with this," replied Kairi as she and Heavyn ran to meet the Heartless. As they ran, the two of them linked hands. Heavyn struck first, throwing the X-blade at several of the Heartless. Kairi threw her own Keyblade as the X-blade returned to Heavyn's hands. When her Keyblade returned, Kairi and Heavyn held their Keyblades facing away from them as they started to spin using their linked hands as a focal point. As they spun faster and faster, their Keyblades started to glow, creating a glowing ring. When the two of them suddenly stopped spinning, the glowing ring shot out, eliminating the remaining Heartless.

"Yeah! It worked!" cheered Heavyn as she and Kairi finally let go of each other's hand.

"Heavyn, Kairi, that was awesome!" said Sora and Riku together.

"Thanks!" said a grinning Kairi.

"What do you call that attack?" asked Sora.

"We haven't decided yet," answered Heavyn.

"Yeah, although we were thinking of calling it…" Kairi started to say, however she was cut off by some new arrivals.

"Unversed!" shouted Riku.

"Now it's your guys' turn to stand back," said Sora as he and Riku ran into the fray. Heavyn watched open-mouthed as the two of them performed their Eternal Session attack. When they were finished, all of the Unversed had been defeated.

"I admit, seeing that attack in person makes it that much more awesome!" remarked Heavyn as the two of them walked back to where the girls were standing. Sora and Riku grinned in response.

Suddenly, Sora started rubbing his head as if he had a massive headache.

"Sora, are you okay?" asked a worried Kairi.

"Yeah, my head just hurts, that's all," he replied, still rubbing his head.

"It generally happens when we face a large group of Unversed like that. It usually goes away fairly quickly, though," added Riku.

"Wait, this happens every time you face the Unversed?" demanded Heavyn.

"Yeah, but it's gone now… why do you ask?" asked Sora.

Heavyn frowned as she thought of one possible cause, but decided not to share her thoughts with him in case she was wrong. She replied, "I'm not sure yet. However, can you let me know if it ever gets worse?"

"Sure, I guess…," answered a confused Sora. Kairi looked between the two of them, but said nothing.

"There you guys are!" came Mickey's voice.

The four of them turned to see Mickey and Leon running towards them.

"What happened?" asked Leon.

"Oh, Sora managed to get us all in a trap, that's all," answered Riku.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Mickey.

"Yup. It was just some Heartless and Unversed, no big deal," replied Kairi.

"Well, that's good to hear. Now, how about we go to see if Ansem's computer has any information about the Fragment worlds," suggested Leon.

"Good idea," said Heavyn as the six of them walked towards the castle.

* * *

Xehanort stood at the top of the cliffs overlooking the Castle Gate, pondering over the interesting exchange between Sora and Heavyn. Unbeknownst to the heroes, he had been watching their entire battle, for he had set up the trap himself in order to see their abilities. However, he had not counted on the Unversed making an appearance.

"Hmm… this is very interesting. I may have an old ally return to me soon," he remarked. He laughed softly as he summoned a dark portal back to his castle.

* * *

"Arrgh!" groaned Heavyn.

"No information?" asked Kairi. The six of them were in Ansem's computer lab, and Heavyn had been on the computer for an hour.

"Nothing! I mean, I knew it was a long shot, but still…" Heavyn trailed off. She really had been hoping that the computer had some information about the Fragments.

"Well, then, we do it the old fashioned way: we look for them!" stated Sora.

"Yeah, but that could take a while," remarked Riku. He walked over to where Heavyn had been laboring and asked, "May I?"

"Suit yourself," answered Heavyn as she stepped back to let him have access to the computer. He tapped a few keys, but came up with the same results as Heavyn.

"Well, that takes care of that. Guess we have no choice but to do it the hard way," he remarked as he stepped away from the computer.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," sighed Heavyn.

"Wait! While everyone's here, why don't we connect minds?" asked the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand.

"What do you mean?" asked Leon.

"Apparently if you give the X-blade permission, it can access your mind so that it doesn't have to talk aloud," answered Heavyn.

"It also said that it could relay messages between those who have connected with it, so we don't have to constantly go back and forth looking for each other," added Kairi.

"Well, that will make things easier. I give you permission to access my mind," said Leon.

"As do I," added Sora and Riku at the same time.

"I don't know…" said the King.

"It's actually not that bad. When I gave it permission, it felt a little weird but I think it will save us a lot of effort," reassured Kairi.

"Plus, Master Yen Sid has done it," added the X-blade.

"Very well. I give you permission to access my mind, X-blade," said the King.

"Great!" said the X-blade, emitting the same glow as before. When the glow subsided, the four of them could feel the X-blade's presence.

"Wow… that is a little weird," remarked Sora.

"You know, before we set out, let's practice the relaying of messages," suggested Riku.

"You're right! Let me try contacting Yen Sid to let him know what we found," replied Heavyn. She looked down at the X-blade and asked, "So, how do I do this?"

"Just think of the person you want to contact and I'll connect you to them," answered the X-blade.

Heavyn nodded as she closed her eyes and thought of Master Yen Sid. Strangely, she could feel the X-blade connecting with Yen Sid.

"Who is this?" came Yen Sid's voice inside her head.

"It's Heavyn, sir," she thought back.

"Oh! Heavyn! Let me guess, you're trying out the X-blade's abilities, right?" he queried.

"Yes, sir. I also wanted to tell you that we met up with Sora, Riku, and the King, and all of them plus Leon have connected their minds with the X-blade," she replied.

"Good! Did you find out anything on Ansem the Wise's computer?"

"Unfortunately, no I didn't , sir."

"Well, that's too bad. However, I did manage to find out something interesting."

"You did, sir?" she thought excitedly.

"Yes. X-blade, can I talk to more than one person at a time while doing this?" he asked.

"Yup!" thought back the X-blade.

"Good. Then please get Mickey and the others in on this conversation, for this concerns them also," he requested.

"Sure thing! Hang on for just a second." As the X-blade went about its work, Heavyn could feel everyone else connecting with herself and Yen Sid.

"X-blade, why can I feel everyone else's presence?" she privately thought to the X-blade.

"It's because you're my wielder. After all, I'm a part of you, and you're a part of me. We'll always be connected," it answered, making sure that the others did not hear.

Heavyn was about to ask more, however she was interrupted by Yen Sid.

"Is everyone connected?" asked Yen Sid.

"Yup!" came everyone's response.

"Good. Now, while you guys have been gone, I've been using my skills to see if I can ascertain the whereabouts of the Fragment worlds. While I wasn't able to pin down their exact location, I did notice that the defenses around some worlds were stronger than the others."

"And you think that they may be the Fragment worlds, sir?" asked Kairi.

"I do," he answered.

"Well, then, we just have to look for worlds that seem to have stronger defenses, right?" asked Sora.

"It sure seems that way," replied the King.

"Thanks for the information, sir," thought Riku.

"You're welcome. If you all don't mind, may I have a moment alone with Mickey?" Yen Sid requested.

"No, we don't mind. Thanks again for the information, sir!" thought Heavyn as she and the others broke the contact.

"So? What did he have to say?" asked Leon as the King continued to speak with his Master.

"Well, he wanted to let us know that he may have found out how to tell which worlds are Fragments," answered Riku.

"Well, that'll make things easier for you guys," remarked Leon.

"Yes, I'm glad…," Kairi started to say, however she stopped as they all realized that the King was finished talking with Master Yen Sid.

"Guys, I'm sorry but this is where we part," he said.

"What? Why do you have to leave us, Your Majesty?" asked Sora.

"Well, Master Yen Sid wants me to check on something while you guys go out looking for the Fragments," he answered.

Heavyn nodded as she realized what Yen Sid had asked Mickey to do. Sora looked like he was about to ask more, however Kairi stopped him with a touch on his shoulder.

"Well, then, I guess this is good-bye for now," she said.

"Unfortunately, yes," said the King.

"Just remember that we're only a thought away, okay Your Majesty?" said Heavyn.

Mickey laughed as he replied, "I'll remember, don't worry. Well, good-bye!" He ran out the door.

Sora turned to Leon as he said, "Well, we might as well get going, too. After all, other worlds are calling!"

Leon laughed as he said, "Alright. I'll make sure to contact you guys if we ever need your help."

"Leon, could you tell Aerith and them we said good-bye?" asked Kairi.

"I will," he reassured her.

"Well, then. Let's get going!" said Riku.

"Right!" said the other three as they rushed out the door.

* * *

As they arrived at the Postern, the four of them summoned their armor. Heavyn noticed that Riku's was silver and black while Sora's was silver and red with touches of gold.

"Sora, will you do the honors?" asked Heavyn.

"Sure!" he replied, pointing his Keyblade at the sky. As a beam of light shot out from his Keyblade, a portal appeared in the sky.

Simultaneously, the four of them threw their Keyblades into the sky. As the four Keyblades changed into gliders and descended, Heavyn realized that Sora's was exactly like Ventus' glider while Riku's was identical to Terra's. She smiled at the continued similarity of this trio to the trio of the past.

"Here we go!" shouted Sora as the four of them shot towards the portal.


	16. Chapter 15

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"So… where should we go first?" asked Kairi as the four of them traveled the Lanes Between.

"How about that world over there?" suggested Sora, pointing.

As the other three looked where he was pointing, they saw a world that seemed to be dominated by a large cathedral with a town surrounding it.

"Works for me!" said Heavyn as she shot out towards it.

"Hey! Wait up!" Riku cried as the three of them shot after Heavyn.

* * *

"You know, you probably shouldn't race ahead like that. We could end up getting separated," lectured Riku as the four of them landed in a secluded corner of the town.

"Oh, relax, Riku. I knew you guys wouldn't be far behind me," reassured Heavyn as she and the others willed their armor to come off.

Riku just sighed as the four of them walked into the town proper. All around them, towns-people were running to and fro, going about their business.

"I don't see anything special about…" Sora started to say, however he was cut off by the tolling of beautiful-sounding bells.

"Wow! What a gorgeous sound!" breathed Kairi.

"First time to Paris, eh?" came a laughing voice.

The four of them turned to see a man dressed in a purple and gold jester suit with a purple half-mask smiling at them from a cart that was obviously made for puppet shows.

"This is indeed our first time here, good sir!" answered Heavyn as the four of them walked over to the cart.

"How did you know?" asked Riku.

The man laughed as he replied, "I could tell by the look on your faces that that was the first time you heard the bells of Notre Dame."

"Notre Dame? Is that the name of that large church over there?" inquired Sora.

"Ah, yes. Some say that the soul of the city's the toll of the bells of Notre Dame herself!" exclaimed the man. By this time, a crowd of children had started to form around the cart.

The man continued, "So many colors of sound, so many changing moods. Because you know they don't ring all by themselves."

"They don't?" asked a puppet who obviously was based on the man, popping up out from behind the man's back.

"No, you silly boy," answered the man as the children looked on in delight. He pulled back a curtain as he continued, "Up there, way up high in the dark bell tower lives the mysterious bell-ringer.

"Who is this creature?" he asked, letting the curtain fall as he turned back to his audience.

"Who?" chimed in the puppet.

"What is he?"

"What?"

"How did he come to be there?"

"How?"

"Hush!" exclaimed the man, smacking the puppet on the head with a cane, causing all of the children to giggle. As the puppet rubbed its head, the man continued, "And I, Clopin, will tell you. It is a tale of a man… and a MONSTER!"

Everyone in the audience gasped except for Riku, who just crossed his arms. Heavyn noticed this and promptly elbowed him.

"Ow! What was that for?" he demanded in hushed tones.

"At least try to look like you're entertained by the story," she whispered back.

Riku rolled his eyes as the two of them turned back to Clopin's story.

"Our tale was begun on a dark night by the docks near Notre Dame. Four frightened Gypsies and their guide slid silently under some of the docks, one of them a young mother clutching a crying babe covered in blankets.

"'Keep it quiet, will you? We'll be spotted!' exclaimed one of them, glaring at the bundle of blankets.

"The mother nodded as she tried to quiet her babe. 'Hush, little one, we're almost there," she whispered to her child.

"The five of them eventually reached their dock. As the five of them got out of the small boat that had brought them, the guide held out the hand not clutching the guiding pole and demanded, 'Now it's time to pay for the safe passage into Paris.'

"At that moment, however, an arrow lodged itself into the pole. It was a trap! As soldiers suddenly appeared, the four Gypsies looked up in fear at a man on horseback, a figure whose clutches were as iron as the bells themselves: Judge Claude Frollo. The judge longed to purge the world of vice and sin, and he saw corruption everywhere except the one place where it was greatest: within himself.

"'Bring these Gypsy vermin to the Palace of Justice,' ordered Frollo. As the soldiers started to follow his orders, the mother tried in vain to hide her babe.

"'You there! What are you hiding?' demanded one of the soldiers, grabbing for the bundle of blankets.

"'Stolen goods, no doubt,' commented Frollo. He ordered, 'Take them from her.'

"She pulled her child away from the soldiers grasp and ran. Hearing the sound of hooves, she looked back to see Frollo pursuing her. She ran faster and faster, until she made it to the steps of Notre Dame.

"She ran up to the doors and pounded as she pleaded, 'Sanctuary! Please, give us sanctuary!' Looking back, she saw that Frollo had caught up with her. As he reached for her child, she pulled it away, but in vain. Frollo savagely kicked her away. The poor mother fell down the steps, where she hit her head and died.

"The moment he kicked her away, the poor child started to cry again. Frollo looked down at the bundle he pulled away from the Gypsy.

"'A baby?' he queried. He pulled back the blankets and gasped, 'No, a monster!' He pulled the blankets back over the child's head as he quickly glanced around, looking for a way to dispose of the child. His eyes happened to spot the church well. He rode his horse over to the well, and held the baby above it, ready to drop it in.

"'Stop!' cried the Archdeacon, coming out of Notre Dame. He continued, 'What do you think you're doing?'

"Frollo looked back at the priest as he answered, 'This is an unholy demon. I'm sending it back to hell, where it belongs.'

"As the Archdeacon knelt beside the body of the child's mother, he sorrowfully said, 'See, here, the innocent blood you have spilt on the steps of Notre Dame.'

"'I am guiltless. She ran, I pursued,' remarked Frollo, riding back over to the steps where the Archdeacon knelt, clutching the babe in his arm.

"The Archdeacon asked Frollo, 'Now, you would add this child's blood to your guilt?'

"'My conscience is clear!' retorted Frollo.

"Glaring, the Archdeacon shot back, 'You can lie to yourself and your minions. You can claim that you haven't a qualm. However, you can never run from no hide what you've done from the eyes of Notre Dame herself!'

"As the Archdeacon pointed, Frollo looked up at the cathedral and saw something in the eyes of Notre Dame's statues. For one time in his life of power and control, he felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul.

"'What must I do?' he asked the Archdeacon, still staring up at the cathedral with fear in his eyes.

"'Care for the child, and raise it as your own,' he answered, picking up the mother's body to lay in the churchyard.

"'What? I am to be saddled with this misshapen—' Frollo started to protest, glaring down at the child. Remembering his fear, he took a deep breath, he acquiesced, 'Very well. But let him live with you in your church.'

"'Live here? Where?' demanded the Archdeacon.

"'Anywhere, just as long as he's locked away where no one else can see,' answered Frollo. Looking up at the bell tower, he suggested, "Maybe he can stay in the bell tower.'

"As the Archdeacon nodded his assent, Frollo mused, 'Who knows? Our Lord works in mysterious ways.' Glancing down at his new charge, he muttered to himself, 'Even this foul creature may yet prove to be of use to me.'

"Frollo then gave the child a cruel name, a name that means, 'half-formed,': Quasimodo."

At this point in the story, the children's mothers had pulled them away, leaving only Sora, Kairi, Riku and Heavyn as Clopin's audience. Sora had looked enraged when he had heard of the mother's fate, however Kairi's hand on his arm calmed him down. Heavyn's eyes were full of tears, which she wiped away. Riku just stood there with his eyes narrowed. In his mind, Frollo's crimes were just as bad as the ones committed by Xehanort.

"Now, here is a riddle for you travelers to guess if you can," said Clopin, leaning forward towards the four of them. He asked, "Of the two of them, who is the monster, and who is the man?"

"Frollo is definitely the monster!" exclaimed Sora as the others nodded their agreement.

"That was a great story, sir," added Heavyn, not wanting to take up much more of Clopin's time.

"Thank you for the compliment, my good lady! However, this is where I must bid you adieu. After all, there's still a lot of work to be done for the Festival of Fools," responded Clopin, packing up his cart. As he walked away, he called, "I hope the four of you will participate!"

"The Festival of Fools? That sounds like fun!" remarked Kairi, clapping her hands together.

"It does sound like fun! However, if the Heartless show up, it'll be a disaster," added Heavyn.

"Wait, what do you even do at this Festival anyway? And for that matter, how did Clopin know what happened all of those years ago?" asked Riku.

"Well, why don't we ask around? Maybe some of the townspeople have the answers!" replied Sora.

"Good idea, Sora," agreed Kairi.

"Well, then, why don't we split up? After all, if we do, we can spend more time at the Festival?" suggested Heavyn.

Riku nodded as he said, "Good idea. Meet up at the church in a half-hour?"

"Sounds good to me!" said Sora.

Heavyn and Kairi nodded their agreement as the four of them split up.


	17. Chapter 16

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

As Riku walked around, he saw many people getting ready for the Festival. When a young woman carrying a basket of food walked by him, he saw his chance at getting some information.

"Excuse me, miss," he asked politely, tapping her shoulder. As she turned, she immediately giggled and twirled her hair around a finger.

"What can I help you with, good sir?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Riku secretly rolled his eyes as he continued, "I'm new here in town, and I overheard a man telling a story about the bell-ringer of Notre Dame. What can you tell me about him?"

"Oh, you were listening to Clopin! Yeah, he always seems to know everything about the Gypsies. No one knows how he gets his information, yet it is almost always spot on!" she exclaimed, letting her hair fall back down.

"I see…," said Riku.

"Anything else I can help you with?" asked the young lady.

Riku shook his head as he answered, "No thank you. I got what I needed." As he started to walk away, he called over his shoulder, "Thanks for your help!"

"Not a problem, sir!" she called back, waving as she did so. As she turned back to her errand, she sighed, "What a handsome man!"

* * *

"Wow… people sure look excited," mused Sora as he walked around. All around him, people were busy setting up stalls for the Festival. As he looked around, however, he noticed an older gentleman struggling to set up his stall.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you need some help?" he asked as he walked over to the man.

The man glanced up and answered, "Oh, yes, please! Could you grab that end over there?"

Sora nodded as he grabbed the board. As he helped the man set up his stall, he found out that the man was one of the town's tailors, and was excited about the prospect of selling his wares at the Festival for the first time.

"After all, it was at my first Festival that I met the love of my life. Ah, she was so beautiful, I couldn't turn away. I was a young man, fresh from the countryside, ready to earn my fortune. I had no idea what I wanted to be, and when I saw her gushing over some Festival masks, I knew in that instant I had to become a tailor and win her over. So, I went abroad for several years, came back, and I asked for her hand in marriage. Naturally, she accepted, and we've been together ever since. However, for some strange reason we could never make the Festival until this year," rambled the man.

Sora instantly saw his opportunity and interrupted, "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm new to town. What IS the Festival of Fools?"

"Only the greatest Festival of all time! It's the one day of the year where we can do whatever we please!" exclaimed the man, spreading his arms wide.

Sora cocked his head as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, say you always wanted to walk around on your hands all day. If you did that on any other day of the year, people would look at you strangely, and chances are you would be locked up for being a lunatic. However, on the Festival, it would be allowed and people would cheer you on! Of course, the highlight of the Festival is the Crowning of the King of Fools," answered the man.

"Huh?"

"Well, the crowd will choose several individuals that are wearing masks to go up on the stage. As the contestants are un-masked, they will try to make the most hideous face that they can come up with. The one that the crowd enjoys the most will be crowned as the King of Fools. It's a tremendous honor!"

"Wow! Sounds fun!" commented Sora.

The man laughed as he said, "It sure is! Like I said, it's the best day of the year!" The man took a step back as he admired his finished stall. He remarked, "You know, this looks great! Thanks for all of your help, kid!"

"Oh, it was no big deal," answered a grinning Sora.

"No, I'm serious! Let's see…," said the man, looking through one of the boxes of merchandise. Moments later, he emitted a cry of triumph as he pulled out four masks.

"Here are some masks for you and three friends! Consider them payment for helping me," stated the man as he handed the masks to Sora.

"Thank you, sir! I can't wait to give these masks to my friends!" exclaimed Sora excitedly. As he walked away, he called back, "And thank you for telling me about the Festival!"

"Not a problem, boy! I hope to see you again soon!" the man called back.

* * *

Kairi followed the sound of music. She had heard it while trying to ask people about the upcoming Festival, and now she was searching for the players. Even when she was younger, she always had a soft spot for music, and would always give some munny to musicians if she had happened to come across them.

"Where could it be coming from?" she muttered to herself as she went from one street to the next. She had been searching for ten minutes now, and was starting to think that the music was in her head.

"It's gotta be around here somewhere…" she said as she turned a corner. She suddenly stopped, for she had found the source of the music. It was a small band of people consisting of a man playing a clarinet-type instrument, a goat who was bounding around in time to the music, and a beautiful black-haired woman who was dancing and playing the tambourine at the same time. Kairi's eyes lit up as she walked over to the small troupe.

"Stay away, child. They're Gypsies. They'll steal us blind," Kairi overheard someone saying as she got closer. She shook her head at the intolerance as she dug through her pockets for some munny. Finding some in her pouch, she tossed it all into the upside-down hat that was in front of the troupe.

The goat noticed this and pranced up to Kairi, asking for a pet on the head.

"You're a smart one, aren't you?" she gushed as she rubbed the area between its horns. Suddenly, the two of them heard more munny being thrown into the hat. As they looked at the giver, they saw a blond man leading a horse smiling at the troupe. His eyes widened as he noticed the dancing woman. The woman noticed his attention and nodded at him, smiling as she did so.

Suddenly, the sound of a whistle pierced through the air. The troupe suddenly looked scared and started to pack up. As the goat picked up the hat and started to bound away with it, a large amount of munny fell out into the street. The woman noticed this and started to pick up the money, however she was stopped by two soldiers who just arrived.

"All right, Gypsy. Where'd ya get the munny?" demanded one of them as he tried to grab the hat.

"She earned it!" stated Kairi, coming to the woman's defense.

The soldier looked at Kairi as he stated, "Gypsies don't earn munny. They steal it!"

"You'd know a lot about stealing," retorted the woman, struggling to grab the hat back.

"Oh, so you're a troublemaker, eh?" sneered the other soldier, who had been silent until now. He scoffed as he continued, "Maybe a day in the stocks will cool ya down!"

The soldiers started to grab the woman, however they were knocked down to the ground by the goat, who had head-butted them in the stomach. As the two of them struggled to get up, Kairi grabbed the hat full of munny and gave it back to the woman. Nodding her thanks, the woman and her goat promptly ran off, running by the blond man and his horse.

"Hey, get back here, Gypsy!" shouted the soldiers as they started to run after her. The blond man suddenly started to pull his horse over to the other side of the street. Not noticing the horse, the two soldiers suddenly ran into its rear end.

As the two soldiers fell yet again, the blond man ordered, "Achilles, sit."

Kairi laughed as the horse promptly sat on one of the soldiers.

"Oh, dear, I'm sorry. Naughty horse! Naughty!" said the blond man, shaking his finger at said horse. He continued with a smile, "He's just impossible. Really, I can't take him anywhere."

"Get this thing off me!" shouted the unfortunate soldier. His companion grabbed for a knife that was hanging on his belt.

"I'll teach you a lesson, peasant!" he shouted. Kairi was about to summon her Keyblade and protect the man, however the blond man suddenly pulled a sword out from a sheath at his belt.

"You were saying… Lieutenant?"

"Oh, C-Captain!" stammered the soldier, recognizing the man. He went to salute, however he had forgotten about the knife still clutched in his hand. As soon as the knife clanged against his helmet, he dropped it and clutched his head in pain. He continued to stammer, " At your service, sir!"

The blond man, who was now revealed to be the new Captain (of what, Kairi didn't know), kneeled down towards the soldier that was still stuck under Achilles' rear end.

"I know you have a lot on your mind right now, but could you lead me to the Palace of Justice?" he asked cockily.

The soldier nodded as the Captain finally ordered his horse off of him. The two soldiers quickly brushed themselves off and immediately started to lead the Captain towards his destination.

"Make way for the Captain!" they called. As if the words were magic, the crowd parted to let them by. Kairi, intrigued by the mention of the Palace of Justice, followed them from a distance. Suddenly, she noticed that the Captain had stooped down. Leaning slightly to the side, she noticed that he had picked up some munny that the Gypsy woman must have dropped in her escape. As the trio passed a hunched beggar completely covered in an old blue cloak smoking a cob pipe, the Captain dropped the munny into the upside-down hat. Kairi decided to stop following them.

"Hmm… I'm certain that he had asked to be led to the Palace of Justice. Yet, if I recall correctly, the Palace of Justice is where the Frollo of Clopin's story resides," she thought aloud, forgetting that the beggar was there. "Why would a man that doesn't seem to have much darkness in him at all want to go there?" She suddenly realized at how much time had elapsed.

"Shoot! I have to go meet Sora and the others in front of the church!" she exclaimed as she started running towards Notre Dame. Unbeknownst to her, the beggar removed the cloak to reveal the Gypsy woman and her goat.

"Huh… I wonder what she meant by that man not having much darkness in him, Djali?" she asked the goat. The goat bleated as the two of them stared after the retreating Kairi.

* * *

"Where are you going to go first, Heavyn?" asked the X-blade silently as Heavyn strolled through the town.

"Well, I figure we may as well visit Quasimodo," she thought back.

"What? Aren't we going to ask some of the townsfolk about the Festival?"

Heavyn chuckled to herself as she answered, "Well, this world's story is one of those that I followed back home, so I actually know all about the Festival. If I remember correctly, right now Quasimodo's debating on whether or not to finally attend the Festival, and I intend to make sure that he makes the right decision."

"Wait… you knew? Why didn't you tell Sora and the others?" queried the X-blade.

"Well, I figure it's for the best if I act ignorant about what I know. After all, if I reveal the ending of the story ahead of time, I may end up changing the story for the worst. Plus, Quasimodo is terribly shy, and I think it might be better if it's just me," she replied as she started walking up the steps of the church.

The X-blade was silent for a moment. Then, "Okay. That makes sense. I'll go along with what you decide!"

Heavyn just chuckled as she entered the church in search of Quasimodo.


	18. Chapter 17

I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Wow…," Heavyn breathed as she walked through Notre Dame.

"Welcome, traveler," came a voice. Heavyn looked to see the Archdeacon smiling at her.

"Greetings, Father," she replied as she walked over to him.

"Is this your first time visiting Notre Dame?"

"It is, Father. It's one thing to hear about the splendor of Notre Dame, however I admit it's something else to actually see it for yourself," she answered.

The Archdeacon chuckled as he said, "Well, I'm glad that we meet your expectations. If there's anything you need, all you need to do is ask."

Heavyn saw her opportunity and asked, "Actually, Father, would it be at all possible if I could see the bells? I love looking at bells, and I've heard that the bells of Notre Dame were like no other in all the world."

The Archdeacon looked startled at her request. He replied, "Well… generally I would say no, however I don't see why you can't go for just a quick look. The stairs to the bell tower are right over there."

Heavyn looked where he pointed and saw the spiral staircase that would lead her to Quasimodo. She looked back at him and said, "Thank you, Father! I promise I won't take too long!"

As she started to walk over to the staircase, the Archdeacon called, "Hang on for just a moment."

She looked back at him, noticing that he seemed unsure of what to say next. She queried, "What is it, Father?"

"Child, I must advise you… do not be frightened of what you may find up there," he warned.

She smiled, for she knew he was talking of Quasimodo. She replied, "Don't worry, Father. I'm sure I've seen stuff much worse than what I might see up there."

The Archdeacon got a confused expression on his face as she started up the stairs. He wondered aloud, "What has that girl seen that makes her so sure?"

* * *

"AHHHHH!" came a terrified yell from the top of the stairs.

"That's not good," Heavyn remarked as she ran up the staircase, summoning the X-blade. When she reached the top of the stairs, she saw a Gargoyle Knight and a Gargoyle Warrior Heartless stalking towards a terrified Quasimodo.

"Hang on, I'm coming to help!" she called as she ran to meet the Heartless in battle. The Heartless sensed her presence and immediately turned away from the frightened bell-ringer. Heavyn narrowed her eyes as she recalled that these Heartless were immune to magic.

"Okay… so using my new Fire spell is out. Guess I'll just have to take them out the old-fashioned way," she muttered, holding the X-blade in a battle-ready stance. The Heartless charged. She rolled out of the way of their first attack and ran towards their backs, striking as she did so. She landed a quick combo before the Heartless had figured out what had happened. Heavyn repeated the process twice more before the Heartless were defeated.

"Whew… that takes care of them," she exclaimed as she dismissed the X-blade.

"What were those monsters? And who're you?" came Quasimodo's frightened voice. Heavyn looked over to see that Quasimodo was trying his best to hide from her behind one of the bells.

"I'll tell you if you stop trying to hide from me. After all, if you hide you might not hear me clearly," she replied, knowing why he was hiding.

"No… you'll just think I'm another monster," he retorted.

Heavyn smiled as she said, "Let me be the judge of that, Quasimodo."

As he shuffled from behind the bell, she got her first good look at the bell-ringer. She saw how he tried to stand up as straight as he could to reduce the hunch in his back and how he tried to hide his lump over his left eye by keeping it in the shadows. Yes, he wasn't the most handsome man in the world, however she knew that his heart was full of light.

"Huh… that's strange," she remarked.

"What?"

"I don't see a monster in front of me. I just see someone who's terribly shy," she answered, looking him up and down.

"Wait… you don't think of me as a monster?" he asked, his shock showing clearly on his face.

"Nope. Trust me, it's my job to know what monsters are," she replied, grinning at his reaction. However, her grin faltered as she was reminded of Repliku and how he had a similar reaction when she announced that they were friends.

"Are you okay?" came Quasimodo's voice.

She shook her head to clear it as she answered, "I was just reminded of someone. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Now, to answer your earlier questions. My name's Heavyn, and those monsters that attacked you are called Heartless."

"Nice to meet you, Heavyn. Why were those Heartless after me?" he queried.

"Well, the Heartless are always after people's hearts, especially those filled with light. The more light there is in a person's heart, the more likely that the Heartless will come after them." She giggled as his face got even more confused-looking. She ruffled his hair as she reassured, "Don't worry about it, Quasimodo. As long as I'm here, you have nothing to worry about."

"Oh… okay. If you say so," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes lit up as he offered, "Hey, would you like to see something amazing?"

"Sure," she answered, following him over to the tower balcony. When they arrived, Heavyn's jaw dropped.

"Wow!" she breathed, taking in the view. She could see the entire town from here! Sure, there were skyscrapers back home, yet somehow it just wasn't the same as this. As she looked down at the town, she happened to see her friends. She grinned as she saw Sora helping a man set up a stall, Riku talking to a woman, and Kairi walking around, seemingly looking for something.

"Told ya it was amazing," remarked Quasimodo.

"It is, indeed," she responded back. She decided to play ignorant and asked, "What are they setting up for down there?"

"Oh, they're setting up for the Festival of Fools!" he answered excitedly. He leaned over the balcony as he continued, "Oh, it's the best day of the year! There are performers, and games, and of course the Crowning of the King of Fools!"

"Sounds fun!" she remarked.

His eyes took on a sad cast as he said, "Yeah, it always looks like so much fun."

"What? Don't you participate?" she asked, even though she knew the answer.

"No… I'm not allowed to go, I can only watch" he replied sadly.

"Why can't you go?"

"Because of…" he started to answer, however he was cut off by a call from the stairs.

"Quasimodo!" came the voice. A chill went down Heavyn's spine as she heard it.

"Oh, no! If he sees you here, I'll be in big trouble!" panicked Quasimodo.

"Who?"

"My master," he replied. He looked around for a place to hide Heavyn and spotted the table that housed his scale model of Paris, which conveniently had a tablecloth that went all the way to the floor.

"Quick, in here!" he urged. Heavyn nodded as she ducked under the table, allowing the tablecloth to hide her. Seconds later, the voice came again, this time sounding much closer.

"Good morning, Quasimodo," it said.

"G-good morning, master," replied Quasimodo.

Heavyn spotted a small hole in the tablecloth. She quickly crawled over to it and peeked through to see an old man wearing a long black robe carrying a basket. Her eyes widened as she realized who this must be.

"Frollo…" she breathed.


	19. Chapter 18

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Dear boy, why is your hair such a mess?" asked Frollo.

"Oh, well, um, a-a gust of wind came and messed it up," stammered Quasimodo.

Heavyn held her breath as she waited to see if Frollo bought the lie. If she was caught by Frollo… she was spared from continuing that thought by the X-blade.

"Isn't that the Frollo of Clopin's story? Why don't we go after him and make him pay for what he did to Quasimodo's mom?" asked the X-blade silently.

"Yes, it's that Frollo. However, if we reveal ourselves now, we could make things worse for Quasimodo. After all, nobody but Frollo and Quasimodo are generally allowed up here. We just need to remain silent and hope he doesn't look under the tablecloth," answered Heavyn just as silently.

"Okay… if you say so," thought back the X-blade.

"Well, no matter. Now, lunch," said Frollo, unaware of Heavyn's presence under the table. She breathed a sigh of relief as he went over to a smaller table with two stools and sat down, setting the basket on the table. Quasimodo rushed over to a shelf, then rushed back and placed a fancy pewter plate and goblet in front of Frollo and a crude wooden plate and cup in front of his stool. Heavyn's nostrils flared at that, for she knew that it was just another way that Frollo had made it clear that he thought Quasimodo was a lesser creature.

"Shall we review your alphabet today?" asked Frollo.

"Oh, yes, Master. I would like that very much," replied Quasimodo, sitting down across from Frollo.

"Very well. 'A'?" started Frollo, pouring some wine into his goblet.

"Abomination," answered Quasimodo.

Heavyn rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe the nerve of Frollo!

"'B'?"

"Blasphemy."

"'C'?"

"C-Contrition."

"'D'?"

"Damnation."

Heavyn mimed gagging under the table.

"'E'?"

"Eternal damnation!"

"Good," said Frollo, grabbing his goblet. "'F'?"

"Festival."

Frollo spat out his wine as Heavyn covered her mouth to hide her smile. Quasimodo looked up in shock as he realized what he had just said.

"E-excuse me?" sputtered Frollo, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief that he had pulled out of his robe.

"F-Forgiveness," stammered Quasimodo, hoping to rectify his mistake.

"You said 'Festival'," said Frollo, his voice gaining a dangerous edge. Heavyn clenched her left hand into a fist, keeping her right hand free in case she had to summon the X-blade.

"No!" cried a fearful Quasimodo.

"You are thinking about going to the festival!" accused Frollo.

"Well, i-it's just that you go every year, and…" said Quasimodo.

"I am a public official! I MUST go! However, I don't enjoy a single moment of it!" interrupted Frollo as he started to walk towards the balcony, Quasimodo close behind him. As the two of them walked out of her sight, Heavyn looked for another hole to peek through. Spotting one, she quickly adjusted her body and peeked through.

As Frollo looked over at the town from the balcony, he continued, "Thieves and cutpurses, the dregs of humankind, all mixed together in a shallow, drunken stupor."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Master," apologized Quasimodo.

Frollo sighed, "Oh, Quasimodo, can't you understand? When I found you after your heartless mother abandoned you, anyone else would have drowned you! And THIS is my thanks for taking you in and raising you as my son?"

"Did he just say that he was raising Quasimodo like he would raise his own son?" thought the X-blade incredulously.

"Yes, he did. And yes, before you ask, he is indeed lying about Quasimodo's mom," thought back Heavyn.

"The nerve of that guy! I hope that we get to kick his butt before we're done with this world!"

Heavyn giggled silently. "Don't worry, we will."

"Good!"

"I'm sorry, master," said an apologetic Quasimodo.

Frollo turned back to Quasimodo and said, "Oh, my dear Quasimodo… You don't know what the world is like out there." He laid a hand on Quasimodo's back as he continued, "The world is cruel, and people would automatically scorn you once they see you. I do my best to protect you, yet how can I do that if you leave the bell tower?"

"Y-you wouldn't," answered Quasimodo.

"That's right! Remember what I've taught you, boy."

"I am deformed and ugly, and those are two crimes for which the world shows little pity," recited a glum Quasimodo.

"That's right! What a smart lad you are," approved Frollo.

Heavyn and the X-blade both bit back a growl at those words.

"You are good to me, master. I'm sorry."

"You are forgiven, Quasimodo. Now, will you allow me to protect you?" asked Frollo, walking back towards the stairs.

"Yes, master. I will stay up here in the tower," answered Quasimodo, still standing by the balcony.

"Good boy. Remember, this is your sanctuary. I will see you later, then. I have a new Captain to meet, after all," said Frollo as he went down the staircase. Heavyn waited for a whole minute in case he came back, then crawled out underneath the table.

"Man! I thought he would NEVER leave!" she remarked. She looked over at Quasimodo to see that he was staring at the floor, a glum expression on his face. She walked over and asked, "Quasimodo, what's wrong?"

Quasimodo looked up and asked, "Heavyn, do you think the world is cruel?"

Heavyn looked startled as she asked, "Why would you ask me?"

"Well, you're the first person other than Master Frollo to look upon me without fear," he answered. He turned around and looked over the town as he remarked, "The only thing I've ever wanted was to spend one day down there with the people. All my life, I've watched them below me, knowing them as they would never know me. Every time I watch them, however, they never seem as cruel as Master Frollo says they are. I just… I just want to know if Frollo is right about the world."

Heavyn placed a hand on Quasimodo's back as she answered, "Well… the world can be cruel, especially to those who are different. However, I've also found people who are quite kind, and are willing to stand up to defend those who need it most. Sometimes, all people need is a chance to prove their worth."

Quasimodo looked up at Heavyn as he asked, "So… do you think that they would think of me as a monster?"

Heavyn looked over the town as she answered, "Well, I can't speak for everybody. However, I do know that my friends wouldn't think that way."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Wow…," he said, looking back towards the town. He remarked, "I sure would love to meet your friends."

Heavyn smiled as she asked, "Well, why not? They should be waiting for me in front of the church right about now."

"Oh, but I promised Master Frollo…," he started to protest, however he was cut off by Heavyn.

"Didn't you say that you always wanted to spend a day down there? Well, in my opinion, it seems that the Festival of Fools is the perfect time for you to go! So, all we have to do is sneak down there, and be back up here before Frollo knows you're gone!"

"Do you really think it would be that easy?" he asked.

"Well… nothing's ever as easy as it sounds. However, it can't hurt to try!" she replied.

Quasimodo thought about it for a moment, then said, "Okay, I'll do it!"

"All right!" cheered Heavyn. She walked back towards the staircase as she continued, "I have to go back down the stairs in order for the Archdeacon know that I'm okay. I'll meet you by the front doors, okay?"

"Okay," he replied, grabbing a dirty blue cloak that he wore on cold days as Heavyn walked down the stairs.

* * *

Riku arrived at the rendezvous point first. Sora arrived shortly after, clutching four masks in his hands.

"Hey Riku!" he called.

Riku nodded at Sora as he asked, "Where did you get those?"

"Oh, I helped a guy set up his stall, and he gave me these masks as thanks. What did…" Sora started to reply, however he was cut off by Kairi's shout.

"Hey, you guys!" she called.

"Kairi! What took you so long?" said Sora, waving as she ran up.

"Sorry, just lost track of the time. Say, where's Heavyn?" she answered.

"Right here!" replied said girl, the doors of the church closing behind her.

"What were you doing in there?" asked Riku.

Heavyn grinned as she answered, "Convincing Quasimodo to come to the Festival."

"You're joking," said Sora as Kairi's jaw dropped.

"Nope! In fact, he should be meeting us here shortly!" she cheerily responded.

"Ooo, now I can't wait to meet him!" cried Kairi.

"Well, this should be interesting," commented Riku.

Heavyn lightly shoved him as she said, "Be nice. He's very nervous about meeting you guys!"

"Don't worry, we'll be nice. Now, which way is he coming from?" asked Sora, looking around.

"If I know him, he should be coming from above us," she answered, looking up at the cathedral. She spotted his blue cloak climbing down and pointed, "See, there he is!"

As the others looked where she was pointing, Sora remarked, "How is he climbing down like that?"

"Pssh, he's been locked up there all his life, he's had to have some entertainment. What better way than exploring his prison?" replied Riku, his tone conveying his own amazement at Quasimodo's acrobatics. The four of them watched as Quasimodo climbed his way down to a rope of flags and promptly swung over onto it.

"What in the world..." Kairi murmured as Quasimodo slid down the rope like a zip line. As he approached the pole at the end, he let go of the rope and perched on it, one hand clutching a second rope of flags while using the other hand to block out the sun. At this time, the crowd, which had been building steadily throughout the day, suddenly turned to watch a group of robed figures enter the square. Suddenly, the second rope came free of the pole. Quasimodo hung on for dear life as the rope swung him over to the group of robed figures.

As he landed, Sora said, "Uh-oh."

"Crap! Guys, we gotta get over there!" cried Heavyn as she started to push through the crowd.

"Right behind ya!" said Riku as he and the others followed Heavyn.


	20. Chapter 19

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Excuse me! Uh, pardon me! Sorry!" said Heavyn and the others as they gently pushed their way through the crowd. As they slowly made their way towards Quasimodo, suddenly the crowd started to sing.

"Come, one! Come, all! Leave your looms and milking stools, coop the hens and pen the mules!" sang the crowd.

"Why are they singing?" asked Riku, squeezing between two heavyset gentlemen.

"Must be part of the Festival!" replied Kairi, politely shoving her way through a group of ladies.

The crowd continued to sing, "Come, one! Come, all! Close the churches and the schools, it's the day for breaking rules! Come and join the Feast… of…,"

"FOOLS!" Sang out Clopin, sliding out from under one of the robed figures as the crowd cheered. At that cue, the robed figures revealed themselves to be a group of performers.

"Clopin?" shouted Sora, stopping dead in his tracks.

"What is he doing here?" added Riku.

"Who cares! Come on, we gotta get to Quasimodo!" replied Heavyn, grabbing Sora's arm. As the four of them reached the edge of the crowd, Clopin continued to lead the crowd in singing the Festival song. He reached for Quasimodo, who ducked from his grasp and ran off, disappearing in the crowd.

"Oh, no! Now we'll never reach him!" cried Kairi.

"Quick! We need to get to higher ground!" said Heavyn. Spotting a cart, she quickly climbed up on top and scanned the crowd, looking for his blue cloak. To her dismay, however, he was nowhere to be found.

"Did you find him?" asked Riku as she climbed back down.

"Unfortunately, no," she answered.

"What are we going to do? We can't just leave him!" asked Sora.

Spotting the masks that were still in Sora's hands, Heavyn had an idea. "Sora, let me see those masks."

"Uh, sure," he said, handing them over. As she took them, she noticed that two of the masks were full masks, and the other two were half masks similar to Clopin's.

"Alright. Sora, Riku, take these masks and get close to the stage. The two of you have got to go up there and be in the running for the King of Fools," she said, handing them the two full masks.

"Why?" asked Riku as he and Sora took the masks from her hands.

"Well, the stage has one of the best vantage points of the entire square. You could use that opportunity to try and find Quasimodo. In the meantime, Kairi and I will travel the crowd wearing the other masks, and we'll see if we can catch up with him before the Crowning. If we do, then we'll head towards the stage and grab you guys. Then, we can watch the Crowning together," she answered, giving Kairi a half-mask and slipping on the other.

"Sounds good," remarked Sora as he and the others slipped on their masks.

"What if they get pulled up to the stage?" asked Kairi.

"Well, they'll just have to pull a face that Donald and Goofy would be proud of," answered Heavyn.

"We can do that!" Sora stated proudly.

"Shouldn't be too hard for you, Sora. After all, that would be your normal face," remarked Riku.

"Hey!" protested Sora as the others laughed.

"Alright. If you happen to find Quasimodo, make sure that you let him know that you know me. That should be enough to get him to not run away from you. And remember… finding Quasimodo is our first priority. Do not get distracted," Heavyn warned.

"Got it. Let's go, Sora," remarked Riku as he and Sora departed for the stage.

"Ready, Kairi?" asked Heavyn.

Kairi nodded as she answered, "Let's find Quasimodo!"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Heavyn and Kairi met back up.

"Did you find Quasimodo?" asked Kairi.

"No. Did you?"

Kairi shook her head as she answered, "Nope."

Heavyn sighed as she said, "Well, we might as well head towards the stage. That way, Sora and Riku can tell us where they see him."

"Okay," replied Kairi as the two of them walked towards the stage. Before they took more than two steps, however, their attention was caught by a black horse-drawn carriage that was pulled up to a podium next to the stage. Riding next to the carriage was a person Kairi instantly recognized.

"Hey, it's that Captain from before!" she cried, pointing him out.

"Huh?" said Heavyn, cocking her head.

"Oh, that's right! You weren't there, so you wouldn't know. I met up with him earlier when I was watching a group of performers, he seemed like a good guy. That's why I was shocked when he mentioned that he wanted to go to the Palace of Justice," explained Kairi.

"Huh… he must be the Captain that Frollo mentioned," Heavyn remarked.

"Frollo? Where did you see him?" exclaimed Kairi.

"He was up in the bell-tower. Don't worry, he didn't even know I was there," reassured Heavyn. Seeing the carriage door open, she remarked, "Heh, speak of the devil."

"What, you mean that old guy in black?"

"Yup. Let me tell you, listening to that guy talk down to Quasimodo really sucked. I mean, when he was 'reviewing' the alphabet with him, I was doing some major gagging under the table." Heavyn paused as she realized what she had just said. "I'm sorry, Kairi, that came out totally wrong."

"What do you mean?" asked Kairi, confused.

"What do I…" Heavyn started to answer, however she remembered who she was talking to. She palmed her face as she chuckled, "Never mind, Kairi. Just never mind."

"Okay… if you say so," remarked Kairi, still confused.

"Don't worry, Kairi. I didn't get it either," remarked the X-blade silently.

Heavyn just laughed harder.


	21. Chapter 20

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Hey, Riku, how are we going to get in the running for the King of Fools?" asked Sora as he and Riku reached the stage.

"I dunno, Sora. I suppose we could always…" Riku started to reply, however he was prevented from finishing his sentence by the appearance of Clopin on the stage.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, here's your chance to see the finest girl in France! See the mystery and romance as she makes an entrance to en-trance!" he shouted, gaining the crowd's attention. As he raised his fist high in the air, he cried, "Now, dance, La Esmeralda, DANCE!"

He threw his fist down, and a puff of red smoke appeared. When the smoke cleared, Clopin had disappeared and a beautiful black-haired woman wearing a red dress stood in his place.

"Where'd Clopin go?" asked a shocked Sora.

"Who cares?" answered Riku absentmindedly. Sora looked over to see that his best friend was staring at the woman, who had just started to dance. He instantly saw the opportunity to make fun of Riku, however he saw the two girls arriving. As he greeted the two of them, Heavyn looked over at Riku and smiled mischievously.

"Close your mouth, Riku. You're catching flies," she said as she tapped Riku on the shoulder, making him jump with surprise.

As Sora laughed, Riku turned towards the two girls and stated, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Besides, how would you know if my mouth was open? It's covered in a mask!"

Heavyn snorted with laughter as she said, "Come on, Riku. It's obvious that you were staring at her, and I know why. After all, you ARE a teenage boy."

"So what? If that's the case, then why aren't you making fun of Sora about it?" he demanded, grateful that his mask hid his burning cheeks.

"I don't need to. After all, there's only one girl that he'll look at in that way," she answered, grinning as she looked over his shoulder. He followed her gaze to see Sora and Kairi, who had started up a conversation while Heavyn and Riku were going back and forth at each other. From the little tidbits that they could hear over the music and the cat-calls of the crowd, it sounded like Kairi was informing Sora about their progress in the search for Quasimodo.

Riku huffed and crossed his arms. He said, "Okay, now that you're done making fun of me, did you guys happen to find Quasimodo?"

Heavyn's face turned serious as she replied, "Unfortunately, no. It looks like the two of you will have to go up on the stage after all."

"About that… how DO we enter the contest for the King of Fools?"

"That's easy! All you have to do is…" Heavyn started to answer, however she was cut off by a loud gasp from Kairi.

"It's that woman from before!" she cried, pointing at the dancer.

"What do you mean?" asked Sora.

"Well, earlier today I was watching a group of performers, but unfortunately they were chased off by a couple of guards for being Gypsies. This woman was one of the performers," she answered.

"Huh, so she's a Gypsy…" said Riku as the four of them watched the woman dance. Suddenly, the woman leaped over the crowd to where Frollo was sitting. She sat on one of the chair's arms as she pulled out a purple gauze scarf. Throwing the scarf behind Frollo's head, she pulled him extremely close, as if she was going to kiss him. Just before their lips made contact, however, she pulled his hat down over his face. As the crowd roared in laughter, she danced back to the stage.

"Yeah! Stick it to Frollo!" Heavyn cheered.

"Wait, THAT'S Frollo?" exclaimed Sora.

"The same Frollo from Clopin's story?" added Riku.

"Yes, that's him. However, if you're thinking about confronting him right now, don't. Remember, you two need to get on the stage to find Quasimodo," answered Heavyn.

"Plus, if we confront him in front of all of these people we would be the ones in the wrong," added Kairi.

"Okay… if you say so," Sora huffed.

The four of them looked back towards the dancing woman. As the music started to climb towards the climax, she reached over to grab a shocked guard's spear. She then promptly slammed it into the center of the stage, creating a makeshift pole. In one fluid motion, she swung herself up and twirled around the pole as the music reached its climax, causing all of the men in the crowd except for Sora and Riku (after all, Kairi and Heavyn were right there) to cheer. When she reached the bottom, she brought one of her hands out and nodded as the song played its last note.

"Wow… she's a great dancer!" Kairi cried. The other three nodded their heads in agreement as the four of them clapped their hands in appreciation.

"And now, ladies and gentleman, the _piece de resistance_!" shouted Clopin, jumping onto the stage next to the dancer. He continued, "The moment you've been waiting for! Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore! It's time to crown the King of Fools!"

"Here we go! Remember, all you have to do is make a face that Donald and Goofy would be proud of!" Heavyn said to Sora and Riku, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"You all remember last year's king?" Clopin asked the crowd, gesturing towards a man sitting in a throne carried by some performers. As the man belched loudly, the crowd cheered its answer. Clopin continued, "So make a face that's as horrible and frightening as you can make it, for it's the UGLIEST face that will be the new King of Fools!"

As Clopin helped some people to the stage, Heavyn pushed Sora and Riku up onto it. As they went to stand in line, she looked at their competitors.

"Hopefully, they will be able to see Quasimodo from there," commented Kairi as more people climbed on the stage.

"Yeah, I'm sure they…" Heavyn started to say, however she trailed off when she noticed the dancer pull someone to the stage. She had seen only one person who wore a cloak in that exact shade of blue…

"No need to find Quasimodo, he's on the stage!" Heavyn gasped.

"What? Where?" Kairi asked in shock.

"The dancer's helping him up!" Heavyn answered, pointing them out.

"Oh, dear!" cried Kairi. "What do we do now?"

"Well, hopefully Sora or Riku can pull the winning face so that he doesn't get discovered!" replied Heavyn, crossing her fingers as she looked back towards the two of them. Out of the twenty or so people standing on the stage, Sora and Riku had ended up in the middle and Quasimodo stood at the end of the line.

Clopin and the dancer walked towards the first competitor. As the dancer pulled off his mask, the man underneath stuck his bottom lip out and managed to cover his nose with it. The crowd booed, and the man was booted off of the stage by a goat.

"Hey, when did that goat get on the stage?" asked Heavyn.

"It must've followed the dancer when she pulled Quasimodo. After all, that's her goat," answered Kairi.

"Really? How do you know?"

"It was there when I saw the woman earlier today."

"Oh. That makes sense."

As more masks were taken off, the competitors kept trying their hardest to make the ugliest face. However, one right after the other they were rejected and booted off of the stage. Finally, Clopin made it to Sora. As Sora's mask was taken off, he used his hands to squish his cheeks together and crossed his eyes.

"Hey, isn't that the face that he pulled when he was convincing Riku to join back up with you guys two years ago?" Heavyn muttered to Kairi.

"Yup, that's the one," Kairi muttered back.

The crowd booed, and Sora was thrown off the stage. As the dancer made her way over to Riku, Sora walked back to where the girls stood.

"Sorry…" he said sheepishly, using a hand to rub the back of his neck.

"It's okay, Sora. On the bright side, we know where Quasimodo is!" reassured Kairi.

"Really? Where is he?" he asked.

Heavyn answered as she pointed, "He's the one standing on the very end."

Sora looked where she was pointing. As he saw Quasimodo, his mouth dropped open in shock.

"Whoa! How did he get up there?" he asked.

"The dancer pulled him up," replied Kairi.

"Look, it's Riku's turn!" said Heavyn.

The three of them watched as the dancer stopped in front of Riku. As she pulled Riku's mask off, Riku used a finger to grab a corner of his mouth and stuck his tongue out of the other end. He rolled his eyes towards the back of his head so that all you could see were the whites.

"Ooo! That's a good one!" remarked Kairi.

"Not good enough, though," commented Heavyn as the crowd booed. The three of them winced as the goat landed a hit in a certain spot on Riku.

"Ow! That had to hurt!" said Sora, running over to help his friend off of the ground.

As the two of them made their way back to the girls, Riku growled, "If you tell anyone about this…"

"Who's he going to tell? We're all right here," responded Heavyn, helping Sora. Riku just glared. Heavyn ignored it and continued, "Anyway, thanks to you guys we did manage to find Quasimodo."

"Are you serious? Where's he at?" asked Riku, slowly standing upright.

"He's the one on the very end," replied Kairi.

"Oh, boy. That's not good," he remarked.

"Is there any way we can manage to get him off before Clopin and the dancer gets to him?" asked Sora.

Heavyn shook her head and answered, "Unfortunately, no. The only chance we have is if someone in front of him manages to win."

The boys nodded their heads as they watched the competitors get booted off of the stage one by one. Finally, the dancer made it to where Quasimodo stood. The goat backed away in fear as the dancer grabbed Quasimodo's cloak and threw it aside. She reached for his face and pulled, only to find out that it wasn't a mask. The crowd gasped alongside her.

"That's no mask!" said a man.

"It's his face!" cried a woman.

"It's the bell ringer from Notre Dame!" shouted a different man.

As the crowd started to back away in fear, Quasimodo tried to cover his face. Suddenly, Clopin jumped behind him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic!" he cried. "We asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here it is! Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame!"

As Quasimodo lowered his hands in shock, Clopin promptly placed the crown on top of his head as the crowd started to cheer.

"He won?" Kairi exclaimed.

Heavyn laughed, "Well, we better make our way over there so we can congratulate him!"

Before the four of them could take more than a few steps, however, suddenly the crowd grabbed Quasimodo and raised him high.

As they carried him over to the throne of the last King (who was promptly thrown off), Sora groaned, "Not again!"

"Well, come on! We better follow them!" cried Riku as the four of them ran off after the crowd.


	22. Chapter 21

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Geez, why is the crowd always so thick?" groaned Sora as the four of them tried to push their way through once again.

"Come on! We have to get to Quasimodo!" said Heavyn as she sped up.

"Why? It's obvious that he's going to be fine!" asked Riku with curiosity in his voice.

"Because I'm getting a feeling that he's going to be anything BUT fine!" she replied, not revealing the real reason. Unfortunately, thanks to the movie, she knew what would happen next…

As the four of them were pushing their way through the crowd, Clopin and Quasimodo had made it to a podium that obviously reserved for the King of Fools. The crowd chanted Quasimodo's name as Clopin placed a king's mantle over his shoulders.

"Ugh, we're getting nowhere! Sora, Riku, Kairi, you stay here, I'll bring Quasimodo to you guys!" Heavyn huffed as she dashed through an opening between two men.

"Hey, wait Heavyn!" Kairi cried.

"Too late… she's gone," sighed Riku.

"Uh-oh…" Sora said, focusing on a distant spot.

"What is it, Sora?" asked Kairi as she and Riku followed his gaze. Her eyes widened as she saw a group of Red Hot Chili and Blue Sea Salt Unversed flying down an empty street towards the oblivious crowd.

"We gotta stop them before they reach the crowd! Come on!" cried Riku.

"Right!" shouted Sora and Kairi as the three of them ran to meet the Unversed.

* * *

"Quasimodo! Quasimodo!" chanted the crowd.

"Come on! I have to get up there!" growled Heavyn as she pushed her way towards the crowd. She knew that there wasn't much time left…

"You think he's ugly now?" a voice came. She spun towards the voice and noticed two of Frollo's guards talking, one clutching a tomato. She gasped, for she knew what was going to happen next.

"Watch this!" the guard continued.

"NOO!" she cried, but it was too late. The guard threw the tomato at Quasimodo, hitting him square in the face. The crowd gasped.

"Now that's ugly!" laughed the guard's buddy.

"Hail to the King!" cried another guard, throwing another tomato. Heavyn gritted her teeth in anger as more and more guards started to throw vegetables. As Quasimodo started to get away, he suddenly slipped on a squashed tomato and fell. The crowd started to laugh cruelly.

"What are you doing? Stop it!" Heavyn cried in vain as more and more people started to join in on the cruelty, throwing vegetables at poor Quasimodo.

"Where're you goin', hunchback? The fun's just beginning!" cried a man as a rope flew out of the crowd. The rope landed around Quasimodo's neck, choking him until he fell onto his side.

"Stop this! What the heck's wrong with you people?" Heavyn continued to shout, but the crowd kept ignoring her. Heavyn's eyes widened as more ropes flew out of nowhere, binding Quasimodo to the podium.

"That's it! No more trying to be polite! Now, get out of my way!" she growled as she started to push people out of her way. Through the brief glimpses she could see between the mass of people, Quasimodo had been tied down to the wheel that had been on the podium with his hands behind his back, covered in filth. Two men had crawled up there, and were now spinning the wheel so that the entire crowd had a chance to throw garbage at his face.

"MOVE!" She shouted, pushing two men to the ground. She ignored their shouts of protest as she continued towards the helpless Quasimodo.

* * *

"They're on the run!" cried Sora as he, Kairi, and Riku battled the Unversed.

"Yes! Only one left!" Kairi shouted as she spotted the lone Blue Sea Salt Unversed hovering away from the crowd. The three of them started to give chase, but stopped as they heard a panicked voice shouting from the square.

"Master! Master, please, help me!" cried the voice.

"What's going on in the square?" asked Riku.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good!" Sora replied, dashing towards the square. Riku and Kairi followed close behind. When the three of them reached the square, their jaws dropped at the cruelty that was happening.

"What in the world happened?" cried Sora, his eyes narrowing with anger.

"I guess Heavyn was right. This turned out for the worst," remarked Riku, the hand not holding his Keyblade clenching into an angry fist.

"And Frollo's not doing anything about it!" shouted an angry Kairi, pointing. Sora and Riku looked to see Frollo sitting in his chair, a bored look on his face.

"That's it! I don't care what Heavyn says, I'm going to teach Frollo a lesson!" shouted Sora as he dashed towards the man.

"Save some for us!" cried Kairi as she and Riku followed. In their anger, the three of them had forgotten about the last Unversed, who was now floating above the crowd towards the helpless Quasimodo.


	23. Chapter 22

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Out. Of. My. WAY!" Heavyn growled as she pushed people in her haste to get to Quasimodo. She was too furious at the townspeople to notice that the cruelty was letting up. In fact, it wasn't until she had almost made it to Quasimodo that she noticed the people weren't as hard to move aside. However, it was the gasp of the crowd that finally made her look up at the podium. Her eyes widened as she saw what was happening. The dancer woman had climbed onto the podium, and the crowd had stopped their cruelty to see what she would do.

"Move it!" Heavyn said as she pushed two final people aside, then ran up the steps to join the dancer.

* * *

As Sora stormed towards Frollo, he barely felt the headache that always accompanied the Unversed. Suddenly, he was stopped by someone grabbing his wrist.

"What!" he growled, turning towards the person. He relaxed a little when he saw it was only Kairi, who was looking at the podium with surprise in her eyes. Next to her, Riku also stared at the podium, shock apparent in his stance. Sora followed their gaze, then his jaw dropped as he saw the unbelievable scene happening.

"She made it… Heavyn finally made it to Quasimodo," he breathed.

"And she's not alone," added Riku, looking at the dancer and noticing that she had changed into a purple dress.

"Let's start heading towards them, then. We can always punish Frollo later," suggested Kairi.

The two boys nodded as the three of them easily made their way towards their friend. They were unaware that the Unversed that they had missed back in the empty street was bobbing above their heads, preparing to attack.

* * *

"Don't be afraid," said the dancer as she took a cloth from her waist. As Quasimodo leaned away, she added, "I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"I'm sorry, too, Quasimodo," came a voice from behind her. The two of them looked to see a masked girl standing there. As she took off her mask, Quasimodo's eyes widened in shock.

"Heavyn?" he breathed. She nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm so sorry I took so long to get to you… I should never have convinced you to join the Festival," she said as she walked over and knelt by his face. The dancer took the opportunity to wipe some of the filth off.

"Don't be sorry… it's not like you knew this would happen," reassured the dancer. As Heavyn looked towards her, the dancer looked to Quasimodo and said, "If anything, it's my fault for dragging you onto the stage. If I had known who you were…" she trailed off.

Heavyn gave the dancer a little smile as she wiped away the tears. She opened her mouth to say something, however Frollo beat her to the punch.

"You two! Get down at once!" he ordered, standing up and pointing.

Heavyn glared briefly at Frollo, then got to work untangling some of the knots as the dancer stood up and replied, "Yes, Your Honor. Just as soon as we free this poor creature."

"I forbid it!" said Frollo, glaring at the two of them.

The dancer narrowed her eyes. In one fluid motion, she grabbed a knife from a hidden sheath and cut the very ropes that Heavyn was untangling. The crowd gasped as Heavyn looked up in admiration.

"How dare you defy me!" Frollo growled.

"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people! You speak of justice, yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help!" replied the dancer, her voice carrying throughout the square. As Heavyn helped Quasimodo to stand, she could hear the people in the crowd murmuring to each other.

"Silence!" shouted Frollo.

"Justice!" shot back the dancer, holding her fist up high as the crowd gasped.

"Mark my words, Gypsy. You will pay for this insolence!" said Frollo, his eyes narrowing in anger.

"You know, I think you guys crowned the wrong person as the King of Fools," remarked Heavyn, making sure her voice carried.

The dancer looked at Heavyn and saw the glint in her eyes. She decided to play along and asked, "Oh? Who should we have crowned then?"

As Heavyn took the crown from Quasimodo's head, she answered, "Well, the only fool _I_ see is HIM!" She threw the crown towards Frollo as half of the crowd laughed and the other half looked on in shock.

Frollo glared at the crown, then looked over to his left at the Captain that Kairi had mentioned, who was sitting astride his horse. "Captain Phoebus, arrest them," he ordered.

The Captain nodded and gestured to his men. As the guards started to surround the podium, suddenly a block of ice appeared from nowhere. As people scrambled to get out of the way, Heavyn looked up to see a Blue Sea Salt Unversed floating above the crowd, preparing for another attack. Without thinking, she summoned the X-blade and pointed it at the Unversed.

"FIRE!" she shouted, reaching for her magic for the first time. A fireball shot out from the X-blade and struck the Unversed, destroying it completely. As she lowered the X-blade, she realized her mistake as she heard the gasps of the crowd.

"Ah, Fuddruckers!" she muttered under her breath as she palmed her face. She had just displayed magic in front of a man that she knew persecuted people for witchcraft! She mentally beat herself up for being so careless. She felt a hand grabbing her arm, and she looked to see that the dancer was leaning towards her.

"Do exactly as I say," whispered the dancer. Heavyn nodded her head in acknowledgement.

* * *

"She's a witch!"

Sora and the others looked around to see the crowd looking at Heavyn with fear on their faces.

"I'm guessing that magic is frowned upon in this world," remarked Riku softly.

"Look!" said Kairi, stopping and pointing. The boys stopped and looked to see that the guards were now surrounding the podium with renewed determination. On the podium, the dancer was whispering in Heavyn's ear, Heavyn nodding every few seconds.

"Do you think we should help them, Riku?" asked Sora, noticing that Heavyn was showing no fear of the guards.

Riku thought for a moment, then answered, "It looks like the two of them have a plan. Let's wait for a moment. After all, I'm curious to see what they'll do now."

The three of them watched as the guards inched closer. Suddenly, the dancer started to look as if she was going to sneeze. She brought the cloth that she used to wipe Quasimodo's face up towards her mouth. At the exact moment that she sneezed, pink smoke suddenly enveloped her and Heavyn, blocking them from view. The crowd gasped as the smoke cleared, revealing that the two girls had disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" asked Sora.

"Oh, boys! Over here!" sang the dancer's voice suddenly. Everyone looked to see that the dancer and her goat were standing on the gallows, waving at the guards.

"There she is! Get her!" shouted some of the guards.

The dancer looked over to see that two guards had climbed onto the gallows. She and her goat ran to the edge and jumped into the cheering crowd, who promptly lifted them up. As the two of them were crowd surfing, the two guards ran and jumped off. The crowd moved aside to let them crash onto the street.

As the dancer and her goat continued to distract the guards, Kairi asked, "Hey, where's Heavyn?"

Sora looked around. He answered, "I don't see her…"

"Well, I'll try contacting her with the X-blade," said Riku. He closed his eyes and thought of the X-blade.

"Yeah, Riku?" came the X-blade's voice inside his head.

"Hey, can you put me in touch with Heavyn?" thought Riku.

"Sure! Hang on," replied the X-blade. Riku waited as the X-blade connected him to Heavyn.

"Riku?" came Heavyn's voice.

"Heavyn, are you okay?" asked Riku.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to the dancer."

"Where're you at?"

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you right now. However, when the dancer's done distracting the guards, I'll need you guys to SLOWLY make your way to the church. That's my eventual destination," she answered.

Riku nodded and said, "Alright, we'll be there. See you then."

"Alright. Thanks for checking in on me, Riku."

Riku smiled and replied, "Not a problem." He severed the contact and opened his eyes.

"Well? Where is she?" demanded Sora.

"Is she all right?" added Kairi.

"She's fine," reassured Riku. "She said that she wants us to meet her at the church after the dancer's done distracting the guards."

"Oh, thank goodness she's all right," said Kairi. Sora just looked confused for a moment, then shook his head.

"Well, we better watch the dancer then for our signal," he said. The three looked back to where the dancer was continuing to distract the guards. At this point, the other entertainers of the Festival were helping her out. As two guards on horseback chased her, she ran by a man on stilts holding a balance pole. With perfect timing, the man dropped the balance pole into the hands of the two guards. As the two of them looked at each other with confusion, the dancer ran by Frollo's tent. The two guards looked up in shock, but it was too late. The pole crashed into the tent, throwing Frollo to the ground.

"Ouch! That had to hurt!" remarked Riku as Sora and Kairi sniggered behind their hands.

Amidst the cheering of the crowd, the dancer and her goat were lifted up onto the music podium by two more men on stilts. The drummer played a drum-roll as the dancer grabbed a cloth and swung it around her body. The cloth suddenly dropped, and the two men on stilts picked it up to reveal that there was no one underneath it as fanfare played.

"Wow! That was good!" said Sora, still amazed by the dancer's skills. He felt a nudge on his arm, and looked to see that Kairi was pointing to where Frollo was standing back up. The crowd was silent as he directed a look of pure rage at Quasimodo, who had not moved from the podium the entire time. As Quasimodo looked down with shame in his eyes, Frollo looked away and promptly climbed onto a black horse.

"Find them, Captain. I want them alive," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," replied the Captain. He looked towards his fellow guards and ordered, "Seal off the area, men! Find the two girls, and do not harm them!"

As the guards started to move through the crowd, Frollo rode over to the podium. Quasimodo looked up, and saw the anger in Frollo's eyes. Quasimodo's lips moved, however the three friends could not here what he said. Underneath the angry gaze of Frollo and amongst the whispers of the crowd, Quasimodo got off the podium and stumbled his way into the church.

"Well, we may as well start heading for the church ourselves," said Riku as the crowd started to disperse. Sora and Kairi nodded their agreement as the three of them walked towards Notre Dame. No one but the Captain noticed as first one, then two figures in blue cloaks walked into the church.


	24. Chapter 23

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Heavyn took off Quasimodo's cloak as she entered Notre Dame for the second time. She smirked as she recalled how she and the dancer had given the guards the slip. Using the pink smoke as a cover, the two of them had used a trap door to get under the podium. Then, as the dancer distracted the guards, Heavyn had made her way over to the stage to grab Quasimodo's cloak. Using the cloak as a disguise, she had then slipped away towards the church.

Hearing the doors open, Heavyn spun, but relaxed when she saw it was only the dancer and her goat.

"Phew… I thought you were one of Frollo's guards for a second. Hey, thank you for distracting them," she said as the dancer walked towards her.

"You're welcome," replied the dancer.

"I'm sorry if this sounds ungrateful, but I have to ask… why did you help me? After all, I did display magic in front of you," asked Heavyn.

The dancer smiled as she answered, "Well, I saw that monster. I figured that if you didn't use your magic on the crowd before that monster showed up, then you're not a bad person."

Heavyn smiled back. "I only use magic whenever Heartless and Unversed show up, trust me," she said.

"Heartless and Unversed? Is that what those monsters are called?"

Heavyn nodded as she draped Quasimodo's cloak over her left arm. "The monster that attacked us was an Unversed. There's one other type of monster called the Heartless," she explained.

"What's the difference between the two?" asked the dancer as she and Heavyn walked further into the church.

"Well, there's lots of differences. However, the easiest way to tell the two apart is by their eyes. Unversed have red eyes, while Heartless have yellow eyes," answered Heavyn.

"Wow. What other…" the dancer trailed off. Heavyn looked over to see that she had narrowed her eyes and was starting to look behind them.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Hang on for a second," replied the dancer. She spun and grabbed a sword as she threw the man she had heard creeping up behind them down onto the ground.

"You!" she growled, holding the sword to his face. Heavyn's jaw dropped as she saw who he was.

"Frollo's Captain!" she breathed. She hadn't heard him come in! She mentally palmed her face as she realized that he could have killed them both if the dancer hadn't heard him.

"Easy, easy. I-I-I just shaved this morning," said the Captain, backing away from the pointy sword held in front of his face.

"Oh, really? You missed a spot," sneered the dancer, who continued to point the sword at him.

"All right, all right! Just calm down. Just… give me a chance to apologize," bargained the Captain.

"For what?" asked Heavyn, summoning the X-blade.

He kicked the dancer down to the ground and grabbed his sword in one fluid move. "That, for example," he said as he stood back up.

The dancer glared up at the Captain as she said through gritted teeth, "You sneaky son of a—"

"Ah, ah, ah. Watch it. You're in a church," admonished the Captain as the dancer stood back up.

"Are you always this charming, or am I just lucky?" asked the dancer sarcastically, grabbing one of the tall metal candlestick holders.

"Whoa!" said the captain as he blocked the dancer's attack.

Heavyn moved to help the dancer, however the dancer stopped her. "Don't worry, I can take care of him," she said. Heavyn nodded as she dismissed the X-blade and watched the two of them fight.

"Ooh! You fight almost as well as a man," remarked the Captain as he locked his sword with the dancer's weapon.

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you," shot back the dancer as she pushed him away.

Heavyn snickered as the Captain asked, "That's hitting a little below the belt, don't you think?"

"No, this is," growled the dancer as she moved to strike between his legs. When he blocked it, she used the other end to smack him in the face. Heavyn laughed outright.

The Captain shook his head and remarked, "Touché." He was cut off from saying more by the goat, who head-butted him in the stomach.

"I didn't know you had a kid," he wheezed, having had his breath knocked out of him.

"Well, he doesn't take kindly to soldiers," remarked the dancer.

"Uh, I noticed," said the Captain. He stood back up as he continued, "Ah, permit me. I'm Phoebus. It means, 'Sun God.'"

The dancer and the goat shared a look.

Undeterred, Phoebus continued, "And you are?"

"Is this an interrogation?" asked the dancer.

"I believe it's called an introduction," replied Phoebus as he sheathed his sword.

"What, you're not arresting us?" asked Heavyn, walking over to where they stood.

"Not as long as you two are in here, I can't," he answered.

The dancer looked him up and down as she remarked, "Huh. You're not at all like the other soldiers." As she put down the candlestick holder, she said under her breath, "Maybe that one girl was right about you not having much darkness…"

"Thank you," said Phoebus, not having heard the second part of what she said. Heavyn, who DID hear it, looked at the dancer with a quizzical look.

"So… if you're not going to arrest us, what do you want?" ask the dancer, ignoring Heavyn's look.

"I'd settle for your name," answered Phoebus.

After a brief pause, the dancer said, "My name's Esmeralda."

"Beautiful… much better than Phoebus anyway," remarked Phoebus. He started to step towards Esmeralda, however Heavyn cleared her throat. He looked over and said, "Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot you were there!"

"Yeah, uh-huh. I'm sure you forgot," remarked Heavyn, giving him a knowing look.

Phoebus flushed with embarrassment. Hoping to hide it, he asked, "And, what is your name?"

Heavyn smirked as she answered, "It's Heavyn."

"That's a strange name for a witch," he remarked.

"Hey, just because I can wield magic doesn't make me a witch," Heavyn shot back, narrowing her eyes.

Phoebus held up his hands in surrender as he said, "Okay. What does that make you, then?"

"Does it matter?" Esmeralda remarked.

He looked towards her and answered, "No. I guess it doesn't."

"Good work, Captain. Now, arrest them!" came Frollo's voice. The three of them looked to see Frollo walking towards them as his guards continued to enter the church.

Phoebus spun towards Esmeralda as he whispered, "Claim 'sanctuary'." As Esmeralda narrowed her eyes at him, he whispered pleadingly, "Say it!"

"You tricked me," growled Esmeralda. Heavyn looked between the two of them.

"I'm waiting, Captain," said Frollo.

"I claim sanctuary for the two of us!" said Heavyn suddenly, to the surprise of everyone.

Phoebus was the first to recover, and gave her a look of thanks. He turned towards Frollo and said, "I'm sorry, sir. There's nothing I can do."

"Then drag them outside and—" Frollo started to order, however he was cut off by the Archdeacon, who had just arrived onto the scene.

"Frollo! You will not touch them!" he stated. He laid his hands on Heavyn and Esmeralda's shoulders and glared at Frollo as he continued, "Don't worry, you two. Minister Frollo learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church."

Heavyn looked away from the Archdeacon to look at Frollo. She widened her eyes at the venom in his glare as he gestured for his men to leave the church.

"Man, if looks could kill then the Archdeacon would've died a thousand deaths by now," she thought.

"What do you mean by that?" thought back the X-blade.

"It's a figure of speech. Don't worry about it," answered Heavyn silently as she looked back at the Archdeacon.

As she was talking to the X-blade, she didn't notice as Frollo hid himself behind one of the many pillars inside the church.

"I think it's best if you leave the church, too," said the Archdeacon to Phoebus firmly. As he started to lead him out, the goat ran out from behind Esmeralda and head-butted Phoebus's behind.

"All right, all right, I'm going!" said Phoebus as the goat butted him several more times. Heavyn giggled at the sight. Suddenly, Esmeralda gasped. Heavyn spun to see Frollo grabbing one of Esmeralda's arms behind her back, and a hand holding her down.

"You think you've outwitted me," he said to a struggling Esmeralda, "But I'm a patient man. And Gypsies don't do well inside stone walls." Suddenly, he started to smell her hair as if it contained the most intoxicating scent in the whole world.

"What are you doing?" ground out Esmeralda.

"I was just imagining a rope around that _beautiful_ neck," he answered with a smirk.

"Let her go, you perverted old man," growled Heavyn, summoning the X-blade and pointing it at him. As Frollo looked towards Heavyn, Esmeralda took that opportunity to escape from his grasp and stood by Heavyn.

"I know what you were imagining!" she added, a look of pure hatred crossing her face.

Frollo leaned towards the two of them (making sure to avoid the X-blade) and said, "Such clever witches. So typical of your kind to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts."

Heavyn narrowed her eyes as she shot back, "If we're witches, then why would we waste our energy to cloud your mind? After all, you do that all on your own!"

Frollo glared at her briefly, but it seemed he thought better than to respond to her challenge. As he turned and walked towards the front door, he called out, "You two have chosen a magnificent prison. But, it is a prison nonetheless. Set one foot outside, and you're MINE."

As he closed the door, Heavyn dismissed the X-blade again as Esmeralda looked around. Spotting a side door, she ran towards it, Heavyn close behind. When Esmeralda opened the door, the two of them could see a group of guards receiving orders.

"Frollo's orders. Post a guard around every door," ordered one of them on horseback. When she heard this, Esmeralda slammed the door shut and slunk to the ground. The goat walked up to her and sat down, a sad look on its face.

"Don't worry, Djali. If Frollo thinks he can keep us here, he's wrong," she reassured the goat, although Heavyn could see the worry on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, however the Archdeacon cut in.

"Don't act rashly, my children. You two created quite a stir at the festival," he said as he lit one of the candelabras. He turned towards the two of them as he continued, "It would be unwise to arouse Frollo's anger further."

Esmeralda stood up and walked past him as she started to rant, "You saw what he did out there, letting the crowd torture that poor boy! I thought if just one person could stand up to him, then—" She took a deep breath and turned back to the Archdeacon as she asked, "What do they have against people who are different, anyway?"

"You can't right all the wrongs of this world by yourself," answered the Archdeacon.

"No one out there is going to help, that's for sure," muttered Esmeralda.

The Archdeacon patted her shoulder and said, "Well, perhaps there's someone in here who can."

As he walked away, Heavyn remarked, "You know, what you said isn't true."

Esmeralda looked at Heavyn as she asked, "What do you mean?"

Heavyn walked over as she replied, "Well, sometimes all people need is someone to show them how to stand up to injustice. After all, it happens all the time where I'm from."

"Really?"

Heavyn nodded. "Yup. Granted, most of the time it happens in schools, but it still happens." Esmeralda looked like she was going to ask more, however a call from the front of the church grabbed their attentions.

"Heavyn! Heavyn, you in here?" came several voices. Heavyn and Esmeralda looked over to see Sora, Riku and Kairi standing by the front doors, looking a little intimidated at the size of the church.

"I'm over here, guys!" Heavyn called out, waving. Kairi spotted her first, and grabbed the two boys' arms to get their attention.

"Hey, it's that girl from before!" remarked Esmeralda as the three of them walked over to she and Heavyn were standing.

Heavyn looked over at her and asked, "You mean that Kairi was the girl you were talking about before?" Esmeralda nodded in response.

"Heavyn? Are you two okay?" asked said girl as the three friends stopped in front of them.

"I'm fine, Kairi," answered Heavyn. She turned towards Esmeralda as she said, "Esmeralda, these are my friends. Guys, this is Esmeralda."

"Nice seeing you again! I'm Kairi," Kairi introduced herself as she held her hand out.

"Yes, I remember you. Thank you for helping me out earlier," said Esmeralda.

"Well, I couldn't let those soldiers take the munny that you had rightfully earned, now could I?" Kairi grinned.

"Hi, Esmeralda! I'm Sora!" cheerfully said Sora, clasping his hands behind his head.

"The name's Riku. Nice meeting you, Esmeralda," said Riku, shaking Esmeralda's hand.

"Okay, now that introductions are out of the way, how DID you manage to disappear from the podium, Heavyn?" demanded Sora, placing his hands down at his side.

Heavyn winked at Esmeralda as she teased, "Now, now, a magician can't reveal her secrets!"

"Aww, come on! I can keep a secret!" he said.

"Not telling!"

"Pleeaase?" he begged, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes.

"Gee, let me think about it… nope!" she answered, grinning. Thanks to Angela, she had developed quite an immunity to the puppy-dog look.

"Stop it, Sora. You're starting to look pathetic," remarked Riku, rolling his eyes.

Sora looked over at his best friend as he replied, "Well, she should tell us! After all, you and I have had more experience with magic than her!"

"Wait, so you guys can perform magic, too?" asked Esmeralda curiously.

Kairi nodded as she answered, "Yup. It's one of the perks of being a Keyblade Wielder."

"Keyblade Wielder?"

In response, Kairi summoned her Keyblade.

"The weapons we wield are called Keyblades," she explained.

Esmeralda stared for a moment, then asked, "Wait, how come Heavyn's Keyblade is different than yours?"

"Well, each Keyblade is unique to its wielder," Heavyn replied.

"Although, Heavyn's Keyblade is special," remarked Sora.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one thing I can talk!" said the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand.

Esmeralda's jaw dropped. "It talks?" she said incredulously.

Heavyn laughed, "Don't worry, I had the same reaction when I first found out."

"As did we!" remarked Kairi, grinning.

"Why is everyone always shocked to find out I can talk?" asked the X-blade.

Before Heavyn could answer, the five of them heard a man call out, "You, bell ringer! What are you doing down here?"

As the five of them spun towards the voice, they heard a crash as the man continued, "Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"

"Bell ringer? Does he mean Quasimodo?" asked Sora.

"Is there any other bell ringer?" remarked Riku.

"Well, let's follow him then! After all, I promised Quasimodo I'd introduce you guys!" said Heavyn as the five of them followed the retreating hunchback.


	25. Chapter 24

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Quasimodo! Wait up!" called Heavyn as she and the others followed Quasimodo up the stairs. As they finally reached the top, they could see that he was looking about for a place to dash off too.

"Phew… we finally caught up with you, Quasimodo," said Heavyn in a reassuring tone. As Quasimodo looked towards her, she remarked, "You know, you're pretty fast, dude."

"This is the Quasimodo that we've heard so much about?" asked Sora, looking curiously at him.

Heavyn nodded as she answered, "Yup, the one and only. Quasi, I want to introduce you to my friends. You know, the ones I told you about earlier."

"Quasi?" murmured Riku under his breath, only to receive an elbow in the ribs from Sora as Quasimodo finally spoke.

"Th-these are your friends?" stammered Quasimodo, his curiosity piqued.

Heavyn nodded. "Yup. Meet Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Esmeralda," she said, pointing towards the appropriate person.

"Nice to finally meet you, Quasimodo!" said Sora cheerily. The others all smiled their agreement with Sora's statement.

"Wait… you guys aren't afraid of me?" asked Quasimodo.

"Should we be?" commented Riku.

"Well… I AM a monster," said Quasimodo, looking towards the floor.

"Who told you that?" asked an indignant Kairi, placing her hands on her hips.

"My master, Frollo."

"Well, he's wrong! From what I can see, you are clearly NOT a monster," stated Kairi, walking over and kneeling down in front of him.

"Told ya that they wouldn't think of you as a monster," remarked Heavyn, grinning.

"No, the true monsters are those Unversed and Heartless that you were telling me about," said Esmeralda.

As her friends crowded around Quasimodo, Heavyn looked over and noticed a rather large treasure chest hiding in a corner. She frowned slightly, for she knew that it hadn't been there before.

"Hey, Quasi! Why don't you show the others around? I'm sure they would love to see what you showed me earlier," she said, looking back towards the group.

"Aren't you going to come with us?" asked Sora, glancing towards her.

Heavyn shook her head as she answered, "I'll catch up with you guys in a minute. There's something I have to check out, first."

Riku gave her a suspicious look. Noticing this, she continued, "I promise, it won't take long!"

After a brief pause, Riku nodded, "Alright then." He turned towards Quasimodo as he continued, "Quasimodo, why don't you give us a tour?"

Heavyn smiled as Quasimodo nodded and led the group up the steps to where he lived. She looked back towards the treasure chest.

"Hmm… I wonder what's inside it?" she thought as she walked over to it. She shrugged as she summoned the X-blade and said aloud, "Well, only one way to find out!"

As she struck the top of the chest with the X-blade, it popped open. She looked inside, but only saw a stack of papers sitting in the bottom.

"Waste of a chest…" she muttered as she picked up the papers. As she started to read them, however, her eyes widened in shock.

"No way…" she breathed. Clutching the papers, she quickly ran up the steps. She HAD to show the others.

* * *

"Whoa…" breathed Sora as he and the others climbed up the stairs after Quasimodo. The others just gaped as they gazed around Quasimodo's home.

"Did you… make all of these things yourself?" asked Esmeralda with wonder in her voice as she stepped towards his miniature model of Paris.

"Most of them," replied Quasimodo, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.

"So pretty!" exclaimed Kairi as she looked at the stained glass mobile hanging above the mini city.

"You're very talented, Quasimodo," remarked Riku, picking up a figurine that bore a striking resemblance to the girl he had talked to earlier that day.

"I'll say. After all, if I could do this, you wouldn't find me in the streets dancing for munny," added Esmeralda.

"But you're a wonderful dancer!" exclaimed a shocked Quasimodo.

"Yeah, why would you say something like that?" asked Sora.

Esmeralda looked towards the two of them as she said, "Well, it keeps bread on the table, that's for sure." Looking back towards the model, she noticed part of it was covered by a cloth. She reached out for it as she asked, "What's this?"

Quasimodo panicked, "Oh! No, please, I-I-I'm not finished!" As she took the cloth off, he rushed over as he continued, "I still have to paint them!"

Esmeralda and the others looked to see that it was two figurines that did indeed need to be painted. However, that didn't stop Esmeralda from recognizing who they were.

"It's the blacksmith! And the baker!" she laughed as she picked them up. She looked towards Quasimodo, who now stood next to her. "You're a surprising person, Quasimodo."

Suddenly, the five of them could hear someone rushing up the steps. They looked to see Heavyn coming up with a strange look on her face and some papers clutched in her hands.

"Heavyn, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!" remarked Riku as he walked towards her.

Heavyn took a deep breath, then looked towards the two residents of the world. "Quasimodo, Esmeralda, I don't mean to exclude you, but I need to talk with Sora and the others. Would you mind terribly if you left us alone for a couple of minutes?" she asked.

Seeing the look on Heavyn's face, Esmeralda replied, "Sure, I don't mind. Quasimodo, why don't you show me more?"

"Um… sure, I guess," he said, feeling a little awkward. However, he brightened as he thought of an idea. "Hey, would you like to see the bells?"

"I'd love to," said Esmeralda as she and Quasimodo walked away.

Heavyn waited until the two of them were out of earshot, then turned to her friends. "Guys, you have to read this," she said as she held out the papers.

Riku grabbed them out of Heavyn's hands and started to read. Behind him, Sora and Kairi looked over his shoulders. After a couple of minutes had passed, the three of them looked at Heavyn with shock in their eyes.

"Who do you think wrote it?" asked Riku.

Heavyn sighed as she said, "Well, I have a pretty good idea…"

"Who?" pressed Kairi.

Heavyn gave a little smirk as she said, "Well, he's not really a bad guy. Got it memorized?"

Sora started as the catchphrase resounded in his memory. "Wait, you don't mean…"

Heavyn nodded. "I think Axel wrote it."


	26. Hidden Flame Report 1

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters

* * *

I don't know if anyone will ever read this, however I felt the need to tell my story. I've done so many terrible things… maybe my current existence is punishment for them. I did try to make up for them in the end, however perhaps it was too little, too late. Yet, if I could go back, I would still do the same things, make those same mistakes. After all, those experiences made me who I was… no, who I am. So, if you're reading this, please hold your judgments until the end.

I once lived on a beautiful world called Radiant Garden. I was just your typical teenager, running around with my best friend. We always had so much fun together, eating sea-salt ice cream and constantly trying to break into the castle. I always came up with "master plans" that would guarantee our passage into the castle. I laugh now at my "master plans", for I can see how childish they were. Heh, it's no wonder we were always caught by the guards.

Why were we constantly trying to break into the castle, you ask? Well, my friend thought that it was because I wanted to see the door. You see, there were rumors that there was a door in the castle, a door that could lead you to other worlds! In reality, though, the lure was to do something that no one had ever successfully done before. After all, countless others had tried to break in and see the door, yet they were always caught. However, if we managed to succeed where so many others had failed, then our names would live on forever! Thus, every time we were caught, I always came up with a new plan that I always thought would be fool-proof.

And as for the rumors? I admit, in those days I never really gave much thought to the existence of other worlds. I mean, I knew they were out there, but I never felt the need to explore, to seek them out. I just figured that the world that you were born on was the world you were destined to stay, and I accepted that. That is, until I met… him.


	27. Chapter 25

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Wait, you mean the same Axel that kidnapped me? How is he NOT a bad guy?" exclaimed Kairi, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Hey, how can you say that about Axel?" Sora blurted out, before covering his mouth. He flushed with embarrassment as Kairi gave him a 'look'. "Okay, I have no idea why I said that…" he muttered, lowering his hands and looking to the side.

"How can I say that? He kidnapped me, for crying out loud!" Kairi all but screamed at him, ignoring his muttering.

"Kairi, calm down. Did anyone ever tell you the reason why he did what he did?" asked Heavyn. As Kairi shook her head, she continued, "Well, the reason why he kidnapped you was so that he could see Roxas again."

"Roxas? You mean Sora's Nobody?" asked Kairi, recognizing the name from when Saïx had called Sora that.

Heavyn nodded. "You see, Roxas and Axel were best friends back when they were members of the Organization, and when Roxas left Axel was really upset," she explained. Turning to Sora, she said, "That's why you said what you said. Roxas must have reacted to Kairi's comment."

"Wait, wasn't Axel a Nobody, too? How was he able to have feelings?" asked Riku.

"Well, apparently when Axel met Sora for the first time, Sora was able to influence his ability to have feelings."

"Wait, I didn't meet him until AFTER he kidnapped Kairi," said a confused Sora.

Heavyn shook her head. "No, Sora, you two had met before then."

"When?"

"Remember when you woke up from a long nap at Twilight Town? You met him during the events that happened before you fell asleep."

"Wait, you know what happened? Could you tell me, please?" begged Sora.

"It's better if you remember it for yourself, Sora," said Riku before Heavyn could explain about Castle Oblivion.

"What? I've been trying to figure that out for a long time now!" pouted Sora.

"Sora, we'll talk about it later," said Riku with a note of finality.

"Fine…," huffed Sora.

Riku turned to Heavyn as he asked, "Out of curiosity, why do you think Axel is the one who wrote this? From the little I know of him, this doesn't match up at all."

"Remember how I mentioned my world's ability, and how your stories made it there? Well, there was one game in the Kingdom Hearts series that took place ten years before Sora gained his Keyblade. Axel, or rather his Somebody Lea, made an appearance in it. What's written here corresponds with his actions in that game," explained Heavyn.

"Whoa… wait, Axel's dead! He sacrificed himself to destroy a bunch of Dusks!" remembered Sora.

"Well… there were actually suspicions that Axel didn't really die when he saved you, Sora. I mean, there are countless references in the games to the heart, body, and soul. After all, Nobodies are the body AND soul of someone who's become a Heartless, right? So, Axel may have sacrificed his body to save you, but his soul may be still wandering around somewhere."

"That actually makes sense," mused Kairi. She looked at Heavyn as she said, "Okay, so Axel may still be, er, alive… kinda."

"I think that's the case. Either way, we'll need to collect more of these reports to find out for sure," replied Heavyn.

"Well, what should we call them in the meantime?" asked Riku.

The four of them thought for a moment before Sora suggested, "How about the Hidden Flame Reports?"

"Hmm… I like it! Riku, Kairi, what do you think?" asked Heavyn.

Kairi shrugged, "Sounds good to me."

"Alright, then Hidden Flame Reports it is!" said Riku, handing the reports back to Heavyn.

As she put them in a pants pocket, Heavyn said, "Alright, now let's find out what Quasi and Esmeralda are up to."

* * *

"… and that big one's called Big Marie," said Heavyn as she and the others made their way to the roof. Heavyn had been showing them the bells, relying on what she remembered from the movie.

"Wow, it's huge!" said Kairi, ducking underneath it. "HELLO!" she shouted, then giggled as her voice echoed throughout the bell.

"Hey, I want to try it!" exclaimed Sora, joining Kairi. "YAH-HU-HU-HOEY!" he shouted, channeling his inner Goofy to the laughter of Kairi, then poked his head out as she said, "Riku, you gotta try this!"

Heavyn giggled as Riku rolled his eyes, but joined his friends inside Big Marie.

"I am Xehanort! I desire to unlock Kingdom Hearts in order to spread darkness so that my hair shall shine all the brighter! Fear my white locks of DOOM!" Riku said in a mocking tone before emitting an evil laugh, holding his arms up and striking a pose that instantly brought Xehanort to mind. Sora and Kairi burst out laughing when they saw it.

"Riku, that was awesome!" gasped Sora, breathless from laughter.

"I agree! That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!" laughed Kairi, wiping the tears from her eyes as the three of them got out from under the bell.

"That was funny, but…" Heavyn trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"But what?" asked Sora.

"One could say that Riku ALSO has white locks of doom!" she answered, grinning.

"Hey! My hair's not white, it's platinum blond!" protested Riku as the others laughed.

"Whatever you say, Riku!" laughed Heavyn. Suddenly, Riku lunged. Before Heavyn could get out of the way, he had caught her in a headlock.

"Take it back!" he said, giving her a noogie.

"Never!" she said as she reached for his hand. He removed it only to start tickling her stomach.

"Fine, then say Uncle!" he said as he relentlessly tickled her.

"Okay, okay, Uncle!" she gasped, breathless from giggles. As he let her go, she grumbled, "You realize this means war!"

"Whatever. I'll believe it when I see it," replied Riku, grinning.

"Hey, weren't you guys going to catch up to Quasimodo and Esmeralda?" asked the X-blade inside all four of their heads, not bothering to materialize.

"Oops! Guess we got sidetracked by Big Marie! Thanks for reminding us!" said Kairi sheepishly.

Sora gestured to Heavyn as he said, "Lead on, Heavyn!"

Heavyn grinned as she replied, "If you thought Big Marie was cool, wait until you see what's next!"

* * *

"Oh, hey you guys!" said Esmeralda as the four Keyblade Wielders arrived on the roof. Next to her, Quasimodo waved.

"Hey, Esmeralda! Hey, Quasimodo!" replied Kairi, waving.

"Whoa, look at the view!" exclaimed Sora.

Esmeralda laughed, "We were just talking about that. I bet even the King of France himself doesn't have a view like this!"

"I can see why you would say that. You can see the entire town from here!" breathed Kairi as she and Riku joined Sora in gazing over Paris.

Heavyn sighed dreamily, "You know, I could stay up here forever…"

"You know, as I told Esmeralda, you could stay up here. After all, you did claim sanctuary," suggested Quasimodo.

Heavyn looked over at Esmeralda as she asked, "And what did you say?"

Esmeralda replied, "I told him that I may have sanctuary, but I wouldn't have freedom."

"True. As His Lecherousness said, 'Gypsies don't do well inside stone walls,'" quoted Heavyn.

"'His Lecherousness?'" asked Riku.

"You know, Frollo."

Esmeralda laughed, "That name fits!" Turning serious, she asked Heavyn, "What about you? Would you stay here?"

Heavyn shook her head. "As much as I'd like to, I have a friend to save. I can't just leave him in our enemy's grasp," she answered, thinking of Repliku.

Quasimodo had been listening, and noticed the sadness that crossed Heavyn's face when she mentioned her friend. He walked over to Heavyn and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"You guys helped me. Now, it's my turn to help you," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Riku.

Quasimodo answered, "I'm going to get you out of the church."


	28. APRIL FOOLS!

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters, but Heavyn is mine

* * *

Hi everyone, this is Colleen (aka cmsully). I regret to inform you that I will be discontinuing "The X-blade Wielder" thanks to me getting a job on Mackinac. It was a great run while it lasted, but…

*The door bursts open to reveal a pissed-off Heavyn*

(Heavyn) *stomps forward* Xehanort, step away from Colleen!

(Xehanort) *now revealed to be holding his Keyblade to Colleen's neck* Never! I don't want her to continue the story!

(Heavyn) Why, don't want to lose against me and the others?

(Xehanort) You insolent brat!

(Heavyn) Why, thank you.

(Colleen) Uh, Heavyn, he still has his Keyblade at my neck…

(Heavyn) Don't worry, Colleen, I got you covered.

(Xehanort) If you make a step towards her, her life will be forfeit!

(Heavyn) *snorts, but stops in her tracks* Who said I was going to save her? *turns towards the open door and calls in a sing-song voice* Oh, fans!

(Fans) *rushing in* There he is!

(Xehanort) If any of you come any closer, she will die!

(Fans) *starts towards Xehanort* GET HIM!

(Xehanort) *swings his Keyblade at Colleen's throat, but is stopped by a barrier* What the…? *tries a few more times, but is continually stopped by a barrier* What's going on?

(Colleen) *stands up and walks to stand next to Heavyn* What you forget, Xehanort, is that some of my fans are writers themselves, and writer's powers trump a Keyblade any day. *turns towards the fans* Thanks, you guys! I'll take it from here!

(Fans) Okay! Just make sure you do something REALLY humiliating for him!

(Colleen) *smiles an evil smile* Oh, I shall…

(Fans) *leaves*

(Heavyn) So, Colleen, what are you going to do? Put him in a dress?

(Xehanort) *starts to panic*

(Colleen) No, too cliché. Hmm… *places finger on chin in a classic thinking pose* What to do to him that would REALLY humiliate him… *light bulb goes off above head* I got it! *snaps fingers*

(Xehanort) *disappears in a puff of smoke*

(Heavyn) What did you do?

(Colleen) I could tell you… but I think it would be better to show you. *snaps fingers and a TV appears* Let's watch, shall we? *turns TV on*

(Xehanort) *arrives in a dark place* Wait, where am I? And why am I so cold?

(Random stage hand) You're on in three…two…one…

(Xehanort) Wait, what are you… *curtain opens to reveal a huge crowd*

(Girls in crowd) Ooo, that's HAWT!

(Guys in crowd) Dude, you've lost all of your man-cards!

(Xehanort) *looks down to see himself wearing nothing but black mesh and two strips of black fabric covering his precious areas, not including the arse* Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me…

(Heavyn) *watching the TV screen* You're evil… and I like it.

(Colleen) *munching on popcorn* Oh, watch, it's gonna get better!

(Xehanort) *starts as Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" starts to play* No, not this song! *starts to dance involuntarily* No, no, no, please stop!

(Colleen) And now, for the finishing touch! *snaps fingers*

(Crowd) *gasps*

(Xehanort) What? What's happening? *looks down at himself* AHH! I'M NAKED! *covers himself*

(Random girl in crowd) He's so TINY!

(Heavyn) Ha! Serves him right, the butt-munch!

(Colleen) Yes, he does deserve it… but there's a problem.

(Heavyn) *looks towards Colleen* What?

(Colleen) APRIL FOOLS! *snaps fingers*

(Heavyn) *jolts awake* What the…? Was all that… just a dream? *rubs her face* Note to self: Do not have sea-salt ice-cream before bed if you don't want weird dreams.

* * *

(A/N) That's right, folks! This is NOT a real chapter of The X-blade Wielder. APRIL FOOLS! Although... I will take this opprotunity to inform you that I did get a job on Mackinac Island. Due to that, during the summer updates will be a LOT slower than they are now. However, when I do get a chance to update, I will try to upload multiple chapters. So please, during the summer be patient with me! Oh, and if you get a chance to visit Mackinac Island, make sure you stop by Betty's Gifts and say hi!


	29. Chapter 26

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Wait, how are you going to do that? There are soldiers at every door!" exclaimed Sora.

"Who says you have to use a door?" replied Quasimodo, smiling.

"Wait, you mean climb down?" asked a shocked Esmeralda. As Quasimodo nodded, her eyes widened as she looked over the edge.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Quasi? After all, what if the Heartless or Unversed attack you again?" asked Heavyn.

"Again? You mean they attacked him before?" demanded Kairi.

"When I first came up here to see him, he was being attacked by Gargoyle Heartless," explained Heavyn.

"Hmm… then we need to split up. Heavyn, since you and Esmeralda are wanted by Frollo, why don't you two go together?" suggested Riku.

Heavyn nodded her agreement as Sora burst out, "I'll stay with Quasimodo!"

Kairi turned to Riku as she asked, "What about you?"

Riku closed his eyes as he mulled over the options in his mind. He opened his eyes as he answered, "I think it'll be better if I stay here. After all, while we're getting rid of the Heartless and Unversed, we could use Notre Dame as a base."

"So that means that Kairi'll be going with Esmeralda and Heavyn?" asked Quasimodo.

"That's right!" replied Kairi. Only Heavyn and Esmeralda noticed the slightly disappointed look on Kairi's face as she said this. Heavyn inwardly smirked, for she had a good guess as to why Kairi would be so disappointed.

"Okay, then it's settled. Now, how are we supposed to get down? After all, I'm not the best climber," remarked Esmeralda. Next to her, Djali bleated his own question.

"Simple. I carry you, you carry him," answered Quasimodo, gesturing at Djali.

"And what about Heavyn and I?" asked Kairi.

"Riku and I can get you down!" exclaimed Sora.

"How?" asked Heavyn suspiciously.

"Well, let's just say we learned some new skills during the Exam," remarked Riku.

"You didn't answer my question."

"We can surf on light now!" explained Sora.

"Surf on…" Heavyn started to ask, but trailed off as she recalled a trailer for the upcoming game that featured Sora and Riku essentially surfing on buildings, encased in light. Her eyes widened, for she remembered that Square-Enix had included Notre Dame in the trailer, yet here Sora and Riku were, acting like they had never been here before. She shook her head to clear it, for she had a feeling that if she continued to dwell on that fact, she might break her brain.

Suddenly, Heavyn felt herself being lifted up bridal style. Apparently, while she had been dwelling on the conundrum of the trailer, Sora and the others had finalized their plans to get out of the church. Looking up, she saw that it was Riku who had picked her up.

He looked down at her. "Ready?" he asked.

"Uh…" she answered stupidly, her mind going blank for a moment. With the way his hair was falling around his face and his eyes gleaming in the moonlight, he looked to her like the epitome of hotness. Her hormones decided in that moment to remind her that back home, she had been an avid Riku fan. She quickly glanced away, hoping to disguise the blush that she could feel starting to creep up on her.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you," he said in a reassuring tone. She breathed a sigh of relief, for apparently he had interpreted her actions as being afraid.

"You like him!" exclaimed the X-blade silently.

"Shut up and don't say anything about it to the others!" she thought back. She frowned as she heard the X-blade chuckling at her response. For the first time, she realized the downsides of having a talking weapon connected to her heart.

"Nobody look down!" warned Quasimodo as he, Sora, and Riku walked over to the edge with their charges. Heavyn squeezed her eyes shut as she felt a warm glow surround Riku and herself.

"Here we go!" said Sora as he and the others stepped off the edge. Heavyn felt weightless for a moment before gravity kicked in. As she felt herself falling, she heard Kairi yelp in fear. Riku's grip tightened as she felt herself jerked to the side. Feeling nausea suddenly creeping up, she concentrated her mind off of what they were doing, and thought about what Mrs. Lemanski would say if she knew what she was doing at this particular moment. She felt her lips turn upward in a small smile at the thought of her former boss fainting in shock over the dangerous activity they were engaging in.

"You can open your eyes now," came Riku's voice. Opening her eyes, Heavyn saw that they had indeed made it to the ground. As Riku set her down, she looked over to see Sora setting Kairi (who looked a little shaken) down.

"You okay?" asked Riku.

"Yeah, I'm fine," answered Heavyn, straightening her clothes.

As he set Esmeralda down, Quasimodo said to her with a questioning tone, "I hope I didn't scare you."

"Not for an instant," reassured Esmeralda. Heavyn giggled as Djali groaned his own answer. As Esmeralda and Quasimodo quietly talked, the four Keyblade Wielders gathered to have their own conversation.

"Do you know where you'll go?" asked Sora.

Heavyn replied, "Well, I know that the Gypsies have a safe haven in Paris called the Court of Miracles. We'll probably go there."

"And how do you know about it?" asked Kairi.

"Uh, I heard it on the way to the church," Heavyn lied. She nervously grinned as Riku raised an eyebrow at her answer.

"Huh," was all he said on the subject. He looked over at the hunchback and Gypsy and wondered aloud, "I wonder what they're talking about?"

Heavyn looked over her shoulder and answered, "It looks like she's asking him to do something." The four of them watched as Esmeralda suddenly kissed Quasimodo on the cheek.

Esmeralda looked over at the group and asked, "Ready to go?"

"Ready when you are!" cheerfully replied Kairi.

As the group prepared to split up, Esmeralda took a necklace out of her hair.

"If you guys ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way," she stated, giving it to Quasimodo.

"How do you use it?" asked Sora.

"Just remember that when you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand," she answered cryptically as Riku looked over Quasimodo's shoulder at it. As Quasimodo tucked it under his shirt, Djali bleated a warning. The group looked over to see the glow of torches heading their way.

"Hurry! You gotta get out of here!" exclaimed Sora.

"Will I ever see you guys again?" asked Quasimodo.

Heavyn snorted as she replied, "Of course you will! We'll be back before you know it!"

As the girls started to leave, Kairi called and waved, "See you later, Quasi!" The boys waved back as they turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

"Well, we better go back," remarked Riku. The other two nodded their agreement as they made their way back up to the bell tower.


	30. Chapter 27

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Geez, that's the fourth bunch today," grumbled Sora as he and Riku finished off a group of Heartless in yet another alley.

"Be thankful that they haven't shown up in front of that many townsfolk, Sora. After all, if one of Frollo's men manages to catch us using magic, then we would have a much harder time defeating the Heartless and Unversed. After all, he's still looking for Heavyn and Esmeralda," answered Riku as he and Sora headed back towards the church.

"Yeah, and he's destroying the entire city doing it," remarked Sora hotly. Riku couldn't deny his statement, for in the days since the girls had escaped the church, Frollo had indeed been destroying the city he was supposed to protect. At first, he had simply torn things apart in his search, however in the last day or so he had taken to setting buildings on fire.

"Riku! Another house is on fire!" Sora cried.

Riku nodded as he and Sora summoned their Keyblades.

"Blizzaga!" they shouted in unison, pointing their weapons at the burning building.

As the two of them used their magic to put out the fire, Riku thought back to Heavyn's actions on the day she left- specifically the way she acted when questioned on how she knew about the Court of Miracles.

"Hey, Sora?" he asked as the last of the flames died.

"Yeah, Riku?" answered Sora.

"Did you ever think that it was kinda weird that Heavyn seemed to know a lot about this world?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you remember how Quasimodo had mentioned that it was Heavyn who finally convinced him to go to the Festival?"

"Oh, yeah! That was pretty cool of her to convince Quasi to go! Although the end of the Festival sucked," remarked Sora as the two of them walked away from the house that they had saved.

"Well, don't you think it's kinda weird that Heavyn knew how to convince him to disobey Frollo for the first time? Plus, according to Quasimodo, she was there for the entire half-hour that we had separated. If that was the case, then how did she know about the Festival?"

"Maybe Quasi told her about it," answered Sora.

"Maybe," conceded Riku. "However, that doesn't explain on how she was so desperate for us to catch up to him during the Festival. It almost seemed like she KNEW that it was going to turn out badly for him."

"Well, she DID mention that she had a bad feeling about it," Sora reminded him.

"Exactly! WHY did she have such a bad feeling about it? Plus, remember how she mentioned that she had heard about the Court of Miracles from walking through town? Yet, she had been with Quasimodo the entire time, so how could she have heard about it?"

"So, what? You're saying that she can see into the future or something?" Sora asked him.

"I dunno, Sora. I'm just saying that this is very suspicious," Riku answered, feeling better now that he mentioned his concerns out loud.

"Riku… maybe you're reading too much into this. After all, it's not like she's secretly working for Maleficent or something," Sora joked.

"You know, speaking of that witch, shouldn't she have made her move by now?" Riku remarked.

"Well, the King mentioned that she returned to her old world after the events at Disney Castle, so maybe she's finally given up on the whole 'take over the worlds' plan," Sora answered brightly.

Riku just shook his head at Sora's answer. "Sora, sometimes you're just too optimistic."

* * *

"Did you hear? Another house-fire was put out!" exclaimed a woman to her group of fellow gossipers.

"Oh, yeah! Just like the others, it was covered in ice!"

Riku and Sora stiffened when they heard this. If they had been found out…

"Yeah, I heard that it was the girl from the Festival!" exclaimed one of the gossipers.

"You mean the one that took out that monster with a fireball?" asked one of her companions.

"That's the one!" answered the first gossiper.

"Riku, do you think they're talking about Heavyn?" Sora asked quietly.

"Only one way to find out, Sora," Riku answered. He walked over to the gossipers and politely interrupted, "Excuse me, ladies."

The gaggle of ladies jolted with surprise, then giggled as they turned to face Riku.

"Well, hello there young man! What can we help you with?" asked one of them.

"My friend and I happened be walking by, and we couldn't help but overhear you mentioned that girl from the Festival. Would you mind telling us what you know?" asked Riku, gesturing to Sora to come on over.

"Oh, it's the talk of Paris!" exclaimed a gossiper who had been silent until now. She gestured for the two boys to come closer. When they did so, she whispered, "You know those monsters that have shown up recently?"

"Uh huh," answered Sora, nodding.

"Well, rumor has it that the girl is the enemy of those creatures. According to Clopin, she's here to help us get rid of them!"

"You don't say?" said Riku.

"Well, according to what I've heard, she's apparently not a witch like we first thought! She's something called a Key-sword handler," exclaimed the first gossiper.

"No, you've got it all wrong! She's a Key-dagger bearer!" exclaimed another gossiper.

As the group started to argue, Riku and Sora looked at each other with amusement.

"Uh, ladies, would you mind telling us more?" Riku asked when the argument threatened to come to blows.

"Eh?" asked the group, looking at him curiously. As they realized what had happened, they started to laugh with embarrassment.

"Sorry about that… so what else did you want to know?" one of them asked.

"Do you know where she might be?" asked Sora.

One of them laughed as she answered, "Well, if that were common knowledge, then Frollo would've had his hands on her by now!"

The first gossiper lightly smacked the one that had spoken upside the head as she chastised, "Be nice! That was a legitimate question!" She turned back to the two guys as she continued, "Well, rumor has it the Gypsies are keeping her safe from Frollo. Beyond that, though, we know nothing more."

"Oh… well, thanks anyway!" remarked Sora.

"Thanks for your help, ladies," added Riku as the two of them walked away.

The group sighed as the two of them walked away. One of them remarked, "If I was ten years younger, I would've chased after them!"

One of the others snorted, "I'm surprised you still didn't chase after them!"

The group laughed as their friend sputtered her protests.

* * *

"Riku? Sora? Can you guys hear me?" came Kairi's voice.

Riku and Sora jolted with surprise, dropping their spoons in the process. Across the table, Quasimodo looked at them curiously.

"Yeah, we can hear you, Kairi," answered Riku.

"Are you okay? What happened?" thought Sora worriedly.

"I'm fine, Sora," laughed Kairi. "Actually, I contacted you guys because we're on our way to the church now, and I wanted to give you a heads up."

"Wait, what do you mean 'we'?" asked Riku.

"Esmeralda, Heavyn, me, and a couple others you haven't met yet, plus one injured man," replied Kairi. "However, only Esmeralda, Heavyn, the injured man and I will be staying for a while."

"Okay, when can we expect you?" queried Riku.

"Soon… I'm not sure exactly when, though."

"Alright, we'll see you guys when you get here, then," replied Sora.

"Okay. Hey, make sure you let Quasimodo know we're coming!"

Riku chuckled, "Don't worry, we will."

As the three of them severed the contact, Quasimodo asked, "What was that about?"

"Heavyn and the others are coming," answered Riku.

"Yeah, and they're bringing someone injured," added Sora.

"Is Esmeralda with them?" asked Quasimodo eagerly.

"Of course!" replied Sora.

Quasimodo grinned. "When are they coming?"

"Soon," said Riku, standing up. "So, let's prepare a space for them!"

"Right!" exclaimed Quasimodo and Sora simultaneously.

* * *

A/N: Reviews?


	31. Chapter 28

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Quasimodo? Quasi, Sora, Riku, are you guys here?" came the girls' voices.

"We're here!" called Quasimodo as he and the two Keyblade Masters rushed towards the stairs. As they peeked their heads over the top of the stairs, they saw Esmeralda looking around, holding the door as if she had just opened it.

"I knew you'd come back!" excitedly shouted Quasimodo as he bounded down the steps. As he gave Esmeralda a hug, Sora and Riku came down the stairs at a slower (but still hurried) pace.

As she pulled out of the hug, Esmeralda pleaded, "You've done so much for me already, my friend. But, I must ask for your help one more time."

"Of course we'll help!" replied Sora. As Riku and Quasimodo nodded their heads in agreement, Esmeralda turned to the door and motioned for them to come in.

"I told you they wouldn't turn us away," Heavyn remarked as she and Kairi walked in clutching a familiar blond man between them.

"Hey, isn't that Frollo's Captain?" Sora exclaimed, summoning his Keyblade.

"FORMER Captain," Kairi corrected as Djali bounded in and closed the door with his head.

"Wait, how'd that happen?" Riku asked while admiring the skills of the goat.

"Long story short, Phoebus defied Frollo, who ordered his soldiers to fire arrows until he fell into the Seine, then left him for dead. Luckily, Esmeralda and Kairi were there to fish him out, and Kairi called me to help carry him over," answered Heavyn as she adjusted her grip on Phoebus. As he grunted with pain, she muttered, "This would be a lot easier if we still had Esmeralda's brothers helping us out."

"Yeah, Kairi mentioned that there would be more of you. Where are they?" asked Sora as he rushed over to help her.

"They went to distract some of Frollo's more attentive guards while we snuck Phoebus inside the side door," Kairi answered.

"Please, Quasimodo. He's now a fugitive like Heavyn and I, and I know that he can be safe here. Please, can you hide him?" asked Esmeralda, who had moved to stand by the injured man.

Quasimodo nodded. "This way," he said, leading the group up the stairs.

* * *

"So, what happened to you guys these past couple of days?" asked Riku as he and the other Keyblade Wielders were (despite Sora's and Heavyn's protests that they could help) kicked out of the room where Esmeralda was now tending to Phoebus' injuries. Heavyn wasn't complaining too much, however. After all, she KNEW why Esmeralda wanted to be alone with Phoebus.

Kairi answered, "Well, just like Heavyn had guessed, Esmeralda led us to the Court of Miracles."

"Naturally, the other Gypsies were not too pleased to see me. After all, stage magic is one thing, but real magic's another story," added Heavyn. "However, luckily some Heartless decided to show up at that particular moment."

"So, we did our Ring of Faith attack and finished them off, and as thanks the Gypsies agreed to house Heavyn and I, and spread the word that we're not people to be feared," finished Kairi.

"Ring of Faith?" asked Sora. "You mean the attack that you used back in Radiant Garden?"

"That's the one! Clopin came up with the name, and we both thought it fit. After all, we do have to have faith in each other in order for the ring to form," replied Heavyn.

"So, what's it like in the Court of Miracles?" asked Riku as the four of them reached the miniature Paris.

"It's definitely different, yet at the same time not that different," answered Kairi. "The best way I can describe it is that it's like the winter home for the summer performers."

"Well, that's essentially what it is, Kairi. After all, Gypsies are known to perform at various Festivals and stuff," remarked Heavyn.

"And how would you know?" Riku queried, hoping that maybe some of his questions would be answered.

Heavyn shrugged as she answered, "There are Gypsies on my world, too."

"Oh." Well, it answered some questions, but that didn't explain how she knew that the Festival would turn out badly… Riku resolved to pry the answers from her before they left this world.

As Sora, Riku, and Kairi continued to catch up, Heavyn noticed Quasimodo entering the room out of the corner of her eye. His shoulders were drooped, and he had a depressed look on his face.

"Oh, dear, he caught Esmeralda and Phoebus kissing," she thought.

"Wait, those two like each other?" asked the X-blade silently.

"What, you mean you couldn't tell back when we met Phoebus? I mean, he had actually forgotten that I was standing right there!" she replied. She glanced at her companions, then walked over to where Quasimodo was standing.

"You okay?" she asked him. He started.

"Oh! I didn't… I mean, um… ehehe," he stammered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

She gave a small smile in understanding. "Sorry if I startled you, but I noticed that you seemed a little down in the dumps. You want to talk about it?" she asked.

He sighed, then looked up at her. "Do you… do you think that I'll ever know what heaven's light feels like?"

"Wait, you want to know what my light feels like?"

"Heavyn!"

"I know, I know, I'm just teasing," she said with a laugh. She turned serious as she asked, "So, you're asking me if you'll ever find love?" As he nodded, she thought about what she should tell him. After all, she HAD seen the sequel, so she knew that he did have someone who'll love him for who he is. However, to tell him without revealing the spoilers… she nodded as she made up her mind.

"Quasimodo, I believe beyond a shadow of doubt that everyone has someone they're destined for," she said.

"Even for someone as ugly as me?" he muttered.

She grabbed his shoulders. "Quasimodo, I don't EVER want to hear those words from your mouth ever again!" she said angrily as she shook him.

"Why? That's what I've been told all of my life, and that's what people called me at the Festival! Why shouldn't I state the truth?" he demanded.

"Yeah, and you were also told you'd never have friends," she pointed out. She sighed, "Look, the most important thing is how you look on the inside, and believe me when I tell you that when looked though that lens, you're one of the most handsome men in all the worlds."

He looked at her incredulously. "Do you really think so?" he said disbelievingly.

"I know so," she stated confidently. "And when you meet your true love, she'll see that too." She chuckled, "Funnily enough, she has the same insecurities as you do."

"What do you…" he started to ask, but was interrupted by the sudden bleating of Djali, who had been serving as a lookout on the nearby balcony. As Esmeralda rushed out of her patient's room, everyone else rushed to the balcony.

"It's Frollo!" Kairi gasped, seeing the judge exit his carriage.

"Quick! We gotta get you guys out of here!" exclaimed Sora.

"Follow me," said Quasimodo as he hurried down the stairs, Esmeralda and the others following. As he opened the door to the outside, he added, "Go down the south tower steps."

Esmeralda nodded, then looked at all of the boys. "Be careful, friends. Promise you won't let anything happen to Phoebus," she pleaded.

"Don't worry, we won't," reassured Riku.

"Kairi, Esmeralda, go on ahead without me," stated Heavyn suddenly. Kairi looked at her with shock.

"Wait, you're not coming with us?" she demanded.

Heavyn shook her head as she answered, "I'm going to help hide Phoebus. I'll catch up with you guys as soon as Pervy Judge leaves."

"But you're wanted by Frollo, too!" Esmeralda exclaimed.

"So? I can make sure that I'm not seen," Heavyn pointed out.

Kairi and Esmeralda looked at each other for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, but you better catch up soon!" Kairi said as she and Esmeralda ran out the door.

"Don't worry, I will!" Heavyn softly called. She then turned to the boys as she said, "Quick! We gotta stash Phoebus!"

"But where will we hide him?" asked Sora as the four of them rushed to where Phoebus was lying unconscious.

"Under the table that holds the miniature Paris. The tablecloth will hide him," Heavyn replied as they picked up the patient and carried him over to said table.

"I'll finish here. You guys hide!" whispered Quasimodo fiercely. Heavyn nodded as she dragged her companions over to Quasimodo's bedroom.

"Behind the door," she whispered. Sora and Riku nodded as the three of them moved into position.

"Good evening, Quasimodo," came Frollo's voice.


	32. Chapter 29

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Oh, Master, I-I didn't think you'd be coming," Quasimodo stammered.

"I'm never too busy to share a meal with you, dear boy," said Frollo in a sickeningly sweet voice. The trio hiding behind the bedroom door could hear robes rustling as he sat down and added, "I even brought a little… treat."

"Out of curiosity, how did you guys avoid Frollo while he came up to deliver Quasimodo's meals?" asked the X-blade silently, connecting the group.

"Simple: we were out in the town during those times," answered Sora just as silently.

"Heavyn, why did you decide to stay behind?" thought Riku.

"Because I was here for one of these 'meals' before, and trust me when I tell you that I may need to hold you and Sora back from leaping out and strangling him," she replied.

Riku nodded as he said silently, "Duly noted. Thanks for the warning."

Heavyn nodded. Throughout this conversation, the trio could hear Quasimodo setting up the table for Frollo and himself (breaking a few dishes in the process).

"Is there something troubling you, Quasimodo?" asked Frollo.

"Oh, uh, no!" lied Quasimodo.

"Oh, but there is. I know there is," contradicted Frollo.

"And how would he know?" asked Sora.

Heavyn snorted silently as she answered, "Ten bucks says he just now figured out that Quasimodo helped Esmeralda and I escape."

"Bucks?" Sora queried.

"That's one of the terms for munny back on my world," explained Heavyn as she palmed her face.

Riku tsk'ed as he commented, "I wouldn't take you on that bet. It's obvious that the jerk figured it out."

"I think you're hiding something," commented Frollo, oblivious to the trio hiding in Quasimodo's bedroom.

"Oh, no, Master. I—There's no—" stammered Quasimodo.

"You're not eating, boy," observed Frollo.

The sounds of someone snacking reached the trio's ears, then they heard Quasimodo say (what sounded like through a mouthful of food), "It's very good. Thank you."

Suddenly Phoebus groaned. The trio stiffened as Quasimodo tried to play it off as showing his appreciation for the food. Phoebus started to groan again, but was abruptly cut off as Quasimodo had a 'coughing fit'.

"Seeds," Quasimodo explained once he got his 'breath' back.

The tower was silent for a moment. Then… "What's different in here?" asked Frollo, robes rustling as he stood up.

"Nothing... sir," answered Quasimodo, a note of worry in his voice.

The sound of something being picked up echoed as Frollo queried, "Isn't this one new?" The Keyblade Wielders could imagine Frollo inspecting it as he continued, "It's awfully good. It looks very much like… the Gypsy girl."

"Wait, he made a figurine of Esmeralda?" asked the X-blade silently.

Riku nodded as he replied, "He carved the first night we were here, then painted it the next day."

"Did he..." Heavyn started to ask, but was cut off by what Frollo said next.

"I know, Quasimodo, that you helped them escape!" he accused, the sound of a fist banging the table adding punctuation to his statement. He continued to growl, "And now all Paris is burning because of you!"

Heavyn had her hands full trying to restrain the two Keyblade Masters from leaping out and punching Frollo in the face.

"Remember, we can't reveal ourselves!" she hissed through their mental connection.

"They were kind to me, Master," Quasimodo whimpered.

"You idiot! That wasn't kindness, it was cunning!" shouted Frollo. "One's a Gypsy, and the other's a witch! Neither are capable of real love! Think boy, think of your heartless mother!" For several minutes the only sounds that the trio could hear were of Quasimodo and Frollo panting (Quasimodo from fear, Frollo from over-exertion). Then, Frollo cleared his throat and said, "But what chance could a poor, misshapen child like you have against their heathen treachery?"

Now it was the Keyblade Masters' turn to restrain Heavyn.

"Well, never you mind, Quasimodo. They'll be out of our lives soon enough," reassured Frollo. "I will free you from their evil spell, and they shall torment you no longer."

"What do you mean?" asked Quasimodo.

"I know where their hide-out is," answered Frollo as his voice traveled towards the door. "And tomorrow at dawn, I attack with a thousand men." The Keyblade Wielders' eyes grew wide as they heard him leave.

"Well, crap in a handbasket," came Heavyn's oh-so eloquent response, spoken out loud as the three of them exited Quasimodo's bedroom.

"Crap, indeed," added the now conscious Phoebus as he crawled out from under the table.


	33. Chapter 30

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"We have to find the Court of Miracles before daybreak," said Phoebus. "If Frollo gets there first..." he trailed off as he thought of the hundreds of innocents at risk from an intolerant old man. He looked at the other four in the room as he asked, "Are you guys coming with me?"

"There's no way you're leaving us behind," replied Riku.

"Yeah! After all, now Kairi's in danger!" exclaimed Sora.

"Sorry… but I can't," said Quasimodo.

"What? I thought you were Esmeralda and Kairi's friend!" argued an angry Phoebus.

"Frollo's my master! I can't disobey him again," shot back Quasimodo, who promptly turned away.

Phoebus looked like he was going to argue more, however a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked to see Heavyn standing there.

"I'll take care of it. You three go on ahead," she said.

Phoebus stood there for a moment, then nodded. As he, Sora, and Riku left, he couldn't resist the parting shot, "You do what you think is right."

"X-blade, remind me to smack him when this is over," muttered Heavyn.

"Okay!" replied the X-blade.

Heavyn walked over to where Quasimodo was standing. He turned to look at her, obviously expecting her to say something. To his surprise and irritation, however, she just stood there. After about a minute, the silence proved to be too much for him.

"What? What am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the girl from the jaws of death, and the whole town will cheer like I'm some kind of a hero?" he ranted. "She already has her knight in shining armor, and it's not me!"

At this, Heavyn snorted with laughter. "Is this what it's about? You're jealous of Phoebus?" He growled rather impressively at this remark, but she ignored it. "Look, remember what I was telling you before? There IS someone out there for you. You just haven't met her yet. And do you want to know something? You WON'T find meet her if you just sit up here in the bell tower feeling sorry for yourself."

He glared at her for a few moments, then sighed as he turned away. "Look, I'm just… I'm tired of trying to be something that I'm not," he admitted.

"Quasimodo…" she said with empathy in her eyes. "Do you want to know what I think?" As he nodded, she continued, "I think that the man that's intimidated by Frollo's not the real you. I think the real you is the one who was willing to sneak his friends out of the church, and that same man would be willing to do anything for his friends."

At this, he looked down to the ground in shame. He thought over her words for a moment, then suddenly grabbed at the woven necklace that Esmeralda had given him. As he looked it over, Heavyn noticed his cloak and grabbed it. When he finally looked back up at her, she held it out with a question in her eyes.

His eyes filled with determination even as he muttered, "I must be out of my mind."

"Probably," she cheerfully replied as he put it on. "But I'll let you in on a little secret." As he looked over at her, she explained, "Some of the greatest people the worlds have ever known were all at least a little insane!"

He laughed. Before they could take two steps, however, Heavyn suddenly stopped him.

"Quasimodo… I know this seems kind of sudden, but would you like to connect to the X-blade?" she asked.

"What?"

"Are you sure you want to offer him that, Heavyn?" added the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand. Quasimodo looked on in shock, for it was the first time that he experienced the talking weapon.

"I'm sure," she answered, ignoring Quasimodo's reaction.

"Heavyn… what do you mean by 'connect'?" asked Quasimodo nervously.

Heavyn smiled in reassurance as she explained the X-blade's ability to connect minds. Quasimodo looked indecisive for a moment, then he nodded.

"Okay. I give the X-blade permission to access my mind," he said.

The X-blade glowed as it connected to Quasimodo. "Now, shouldn't you two be catching up with Phoebus and the others?" it asked silently.

Heavyn nodded. "Okay, let's go!"

* * *

"Phoebus!" exclaimed Quasimodo.

"Ah!" gasped Phoebus as he stepped back from the hunchback hanging upside down in the doorway, Heavyn cheerfully waving from the safety of one of his arms. Behind him, Sora and Riku looked (mildly) surprised. After all, they had experienced Quasimodo's acrobats before.

"We're coming with you!" cheerfully whispered Heavyn as Quasimodo jumped down and set her on her feet.

Phoebus smiled. "Glad you changed your mind," he said.

"I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for Esmeralda," Quasimodo said, dislike tingeing his voice.

"Heavyn, do you have any idea where she and Kairi might have gone?" asked Riku.

Heavyn nodded. "They probably went to the Court of Miracles."

"Great, then lead us there!" exclaimed Sora. As Heavyn suddenly got a guilty look on her face, he added, "Oh, don't tell me…"

Heavyn nodded sheepishly. "Yeah… I don't actually know how to get there. Esmeralda took us for part of the way, then she had us close our eyes until we arrived at the entrance." Well, the second half was true, at any rate, she thought to herself.

"Wait, then how did you get out to help Phoebus?" asked Riku.

"Well, one of Esmeralda's brothers took me to the back entrance, which is so covered by ivy and stuff that I know I couldn't find it again. In fact, that was probably on purpose," she explained.

"Well, that's just great," muttered Phoebus. "Now how are we supposed to warn them?"

The group thought for a moment, then Quasimodo remembered the necklace. "She told me that this would help me find her if I ever needed sanctuary," he said as he pulled it off his neck.

"Good! Now… what is it?" asked Phoebus as he grabbed it from Quasimodo and looked at it.

"I'm not sure," answered Quasimodo.

"Maybe it's some sort of code," offered Sora.

As Phoebus and Sora bounced ideas off of each other, the necklace swung free from Phoebus' hand. As he stared at it, Riku remembered something.

"Wait, you guys! Remember what Esmeralda said? 'When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand,'" he said as he grabbed it.

Heavyn looked over his shoulder and saw what he meant. "It's the city!" she exclaimed.

"What?" asked Phoebus.

"It's a map! See, here's the church, and this stone must be where we need to go," explained Quasimodo as he finally saw what Riku and Heavyn had seen.

"I've never seen a map that looks like this!" Phoebus scoffed.

"I have, actually," chimed in Heavyn. Phoebus looked at her with suspicion. "What? It's a simple aerial view map. There are lots of those where I'm from!" she protested.

"Okay, all in favor of following the map say 'Aye'," Sora said, noticing that Phoebus looked like he was going to argue.

"Aye!" said Quasimodo and Heavyn simultaneously.

"Aye," added Riku.

Phoebus looked at the group, then sighed. "Looks like I'm outvoted. Okay, I'm in. But, if we're going to find the Court of Miracles, we need to work together." He laid his hand on Quasimodo's shoulder. "Truce?" he offered.

Quasimodo looked at him for a moment, then relented. "Well, okay," he said, slapping Phoebus hard on the back.

As Phoebus grunted in pain, Heavyn giggled. "That's much funnier in person," she remarked softly.

"What was that?" asked Riku.

"Oh, nothing! Come on, let's go!" she cheerfully lied as the group headed off to where Esmeralda and Kairi were waiting for them. Riku raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

* * *

A/N: This is the last chapter before I go up to Mackinac Island! Now, keep in mind that even though I WILL still be writing "The X-blade Wielder" while I'm up there, unfortunately due to the lack of free internet posting the chapters will be few and far between. So please, be patient with me this summer! I promise that after I'm done with Mackinac, regular postings will again be the norm!


	34. Chapter 31

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"A cemetery? The entrance to the Court of Miracles is in a cemetery?" questioned Phoebus as the group followed the map to their current location.

"Makes sense. After all, not that many people want to poke around in a cemetery, so it's a perfect spot to hide the entrance to a secret lair," remarked Sora.

Heavyn shivered as they walked through the cemetery.

"Heavyn? You okay?" asked Riku softly, noticing her shudder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just reminded of my family, that's all," she answered, touched that Riku had noticed. She wasn't that surprised, however, for she HAD noticed that Riku had been (discreetly) watching her very closely.

"He's probably starting to figure it out," she thought as the group continued to wander around.

"Figure what out?" asked the X-blade.

"How I know so much about this world. I predict that he's going to confront me about it soon," she replied.

"What will you tell him?"

She mentally sighed. "If he does confront me, I'll tell him the truth. Hopefully by that time we will have helped settle this world's problems so it won't be too much of a hassle."

"Look! The symbol on the map!" exclaimed Quasimodo, pointing at an elaborate headstone. The group gathered around the grave.

"Hmm… there's an inscription here. I'm going to need to take a few minutes to make it out…" muttered Phoebus.

As Phoebus looked at the inscription, Quasimodo looked at the grave itself. Strangely enough, there was a lid to this particular grave. Acting on impulse, he grabbed the lid and wrenched it off to the side.

"Cool! A set of stairs!" remarked Sora as the five of them peered inside the grave.

The Keyblade Wielders grinned with amusement as Phoebus started to grumble about being upstaged by Quasimodo. He shut up, however, as the group made their way down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they were stopped by a heavy wooden door.

"It's locked!" growled Phoebus as he tried to open it. Turning to Heavyn, he asked, "I know that you said you probably won't be able to find the back entrance, but it looks like that may be our only option. Could you could lead us to the area where it's at?"

Heavyn laughed, "Phoebus, you're forgetting something. You have three Keyblade Wielders with you!" She turned to Sora and Riku and asked, "Who wants to do the honors?"

Riku and Sora looked at each other.

"The usual?" asked Sora. Riku nodded as the two Masters both brought one hand out.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" they chanted in unison.

"Scissors cut paper, Sora," stated Riku proudly as Sora pouted briefly. He stepped forward and summoned his Keyblade, pointing it at the door. Phoebus and Quasimodo stared in astonishment as a beam of light shot out from the tip and struck the door, the sound of a lock coming undone echoing throughout the stairway.

"An advantage to wielding a Keyblade: No lock can keep you out!" cheerfully explained Sora as Riku opened the door, revealing a set of steps leading into some water. Noticing Phoebus' look at this explanation, he quickly reassured, "But don't worry, we never use this power to break into people's houses!"

"Not unless we have to, anyway," muttered Riku as the group went down the steps into the water.

"Whoa, it looks like Halloween Town down here!" remarked Sora, looking at the décor.

"What and where is Halloween Town?" asked a curious Phoebus.

"Sorry, Phoebus, you don't have enough security clearance for us to answer that question," flippantly remarked Heavyn.

"Security clearance?"

Heavyn shook her head as she lamented, "What good is joking around if no one gets it?" She turned to Phoebus as she answered, "Let's just say that it's a very strange town that's VERY far away."

Phoebus looked like he was going to ask more, however Quasimodo beat him to the punch.

"Is this… the Court of Miracles?" he asked, looking slightly nauseated as he looked at the skeletons scattered all over.

Looking down at the murky water, Phoebus replied, "Offhand, I'd say it's the Court of Ankle-Deep Sewage."

"Eww, that's just disgusting," commented Riku as he looked down. The rest of the group privately agreed with him.

"On the bright side, though, we're on the right track! It was here that Esmeralda took off our blindfolds," remarked Heavyn as she started to lead the group. Before they took more than a dozen steps, however, some familiar creatures stood in their way.

"Not the Unversed!" groaned Sora as he and the others were surrounded by Floods and Bruisers.

"Phoebus, Quasimodo, we'll handle things here. As soon as we open a path, keep going straight until you reach the Court of Miracles," ordered Heavyn as she and her companions summoned their Keyblades. She then promptly threw the X-blade at a couple of Floods. Next to her, Riku used a Magnet spell while Sora used Thundaga.

"Now, GO!" she shouted as the X-blade flew back into her hand. Phoebus and Quasimodo needed no other urging. As they escaped, the three fighters went back to back.

"Okay, what's the plan here, gentlemen?" asked Heavyn.

"Do you think you can do your Ring of Faith attack with the two of us?" responded Sora.

"To be honest, I don't think that it would work. After all, I haven't fought with you guys that much to see how I'd adapt to your fighting style," she answered.

Riku nodded as he added, "Plus, I have a funny feeling that Ring of Faith is yours and Kairi's signature attack, like Eternal Session is Sora's and mine. We shouldn't be trying it anyway."

"I have an idea! Sora, why don't you pour your light into me while Riku pours in some of his darkness?" chimed in the X-blade.

"Wait, WHAT?" exclaimed the three of them with shock.

"And what, pray tell, are you going to do with all of that energy?" added Heavyn as she violently smacked away an inquisitive Bruiser.

"You'll see! So, how about it?" it asked.

The three Keyblade Wielders looked at each other in between bouts of striking away Unversed and firing off spells.

Riku asked with hesitation, "X-blade, are you sure that you and Heavyn can handle the darkness that I'd be pouring into you?"

"I'm a Keyblade of Heart. I can wield both darkness and light equally!"

"And what about Heavyn?" pressed Sora.

"Trust me, I won't let it harm her!" it reassured them.

Heavyn looked at the two boys, then shrugged, "It's up to you."

The two friends looked at each other. As an unspoken message passed between them, determination filled their eyes as they nodded their agreement.

"I just hope this doesn't backfire on us," muttered Riku as he summoned his darkness. Next to him, Sora summoned his light. As one, they shot their energy towards the X-blade.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Heavyn as she felt the X-blade soaking up the energy. She noticed immediately the difference between the two powers. She felt the tell-tale supportive warmth of the light, yet from the darkness she sensed… power. It teased at her senses, tempting her to submit herself to it. It offered tremendous strength, enough to vanquish her foes with ease. Visions of using the darkness to free Repliku from Xehanort started to fill her mind…

"Heavyn, focus!" cried the X-blade inside her mind. Heavyn jumped, then shook her head to clear it. Once her head was clear, it asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. No wonder so many have lost themselves to darkness! With all of that power…" she thought, finally understanding why Master Eraqus and many others had thought it evil while gaining new respect for Riku. It must take tremendous willpower to resist all that the darkness offered!

"Okay, when I give the word, I want you to stab me into the ground," instructed the X-blade.

Heavyn nodded. As the X-blade continued to soak up power, she thought of her family to try and distract herself from the darkness' temptations. Luckily, she only had to wait a couple seconds.

"NOW!" cried the X-blade, heavy with power. Heavyn twirled the X-blade until the tip was pointing towards the ground, then thrust it down with a cry. As soon as its point was into the ground, the energy that the X-blade had been soaking shot out, forming a circle around the entire battlefield. Rays of light and darkness erupted from underneath, each one eliminating an Unversed. Once all of the remaining Unversed had been eliminated, the circle vanished.

"Whoa…" breathed Sora, who rubbed his head briefly as the usual headache appeared.

"That was amazing! We have got to try that more oft…" trailed off Riku as he noticed Heavyn clutching onto the X-blade that was still in the ground, breathing heavily as if she had just run a marathon. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, a little breathless as she wrenched the X-blade from the ground. "That just took more out of me than I thought it would, that's all."

"Was it the darkness?" asked Sora, holding out his hand to help her up.

"No, no it wasn't the darkness! If it was anything, it was the amount of energy the X-blade absorbed," she lied as she took Sora's hand and stood up, "It was a lot heavier than I thought it'd be."

"Hmm… then we should wait until you're stronger before we attempt that attack again," remarked Riku, looking askance at her excuse but obviously deciding to play along.

"That's not a bad idea," Heavyn agreed. "After all, that attack's even more powerful than Ring of Faith. Thank goodness that Phoebus and Quasi- OH, FUDGESICLE!" she cried suddenly.

"What's wrong?" asked the two boys in unison.

"I completely forgot to warn them about the checkpoint up ahead! Come on, we have to hurry!" she explained as she started to run, Riku and Sora following close behind.

"Why do we need to hurry?" asked Riku.

"Because if we don't, the Gypsies will execute them!"

* * *

"Sir, what are your orders?"

"Follow the witch and her cohorts from a safe distance. They'll be our unwitting guides to the ultimate prize."

"What about the Bell-Ringer?"

"He is of no concern."

* * *

A/N: Yes, I'm back! My landlady FINALLY installed wi-fi, so I can upload (somewhat) regularly again!


	35. Chapter 32

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine

* * *

"… a couple of Frollo's spies," came a voice from around a corner, followed by some booing.

"Hey, isn't that Clopin's voice?" asked Riku.

As the voice came again, Sora remarked, "Hey, I think it is!"

"Shoot! That's not good!" exclaimed Heavyn as she ran faster. Turning the corner, she shouted, "STOP! DON'T HANG THEM!"

As Sora and Riku rounded the corner, they took in the situation. The Court of Miracles was a large room filled with tents and carts, with colorful fabrics hanging from everywhere (including the ceiling). In the center was a gallows, upon which Phoebus and Quasimodo stood with a noose around each of their necks and gags wrapped around their mouths. Standing next to the lever that would send them plummeting to their deaths was, surprisingly, Clopin, who was wearing a much more subdued outfit than the one the Keyblade Masters had last seen him in.

"Why is Clopin the one who's by the lever?" asked a confused Sora. "I thought he just told stories and put on puppet shows?"

Surprisingly, it was Riku who answered, "You mean you didn't know? Clopin's the King of the Gypsies."

"Wait, how did YOU know?" demanded the X-blade silently, resounding in both Riku's and Sora's minds.

Riku shrugged, "I chose to ask the villagers about Clopin the first day we were here. I put all of the clues they told me about him together, and figured it out."

"And why shouldn't we hang them? One's Frollo's Captain of the Guard, and the other's his loyal, bell-ringing henchman! For that matter, what about the two behind you? I don't recall them ever being welcome here," demanded Clopin.

Heavyn rolled her eyes. "Sora and Riku were with Kairi and I when we first arrived in Paris, as you should remember," she answered. "Plus, they're the ones who have been taking care of the Heartless and Unversed in the city the same way that Kairi and I have been taking care of them here. Also, they've been extinguishing the fires that Judge Pervo has been leaving behind."

"Fine… but that still leaves the question of these two," Clopin conceded, gesturing towards the two whose fates were hanging (pun included) on the answer to his question.

"I can answer that! They aren't spies, they're our friends!" came Esmeralda's voice as the woman in question suddenly appeared in front of the crowd that had gathered in front of the gallows, Kairi appearing next to her. As she climbed up and started to take the ropes off of the two men, she added, "This is the soldier that saved the miller's family, and Quasimodo helped Heavyn, Kairi and I escape the cathedral."

"Well, why didn't they say so?" asked Clopin.

"We DID say so," replied the two men in unison as they took the gags out of their mouths.

While this exchange was happening, the trio who had just arrived made their way towards Kairi.

"What took you guys so long?" she asked cheekily.

"Oh, just dealing with emotional guys, fighting the Unversed, you know. The usual," Heavyn replied just as cheekily, a large grin appearing on her face.

"Hey! What do you mean, 'dealing with emotional guys'? We only wanted to confront Frollo about his lies!" protested Sora.

"I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about Quasimodo."

"Oh." Luckily, Sora was saved from embarrassing himself further by Phoebus running towards the edge of the gallows and raising his arms to grab everyone's attention.

"We came to warn you! Frollo's on his way! He says that he knows where you're hiding, and he's attacking at dawn with a thousand men!" he cried, using the voice that Heavyn suspected had been used to give out orders during the wars he had been in.

As the people around them started to cry out in panic, Esmeralda called out, "Then we must waste no time. We must leave as soon as we can!"

In the hustle and bustle that occurred after this announcement, Phoebus, Esmeralda, and Quasimodo joined the four Keyblade Wielders.

"You guys took a terrible risk coming here," remarked Esmeralda, looking at the four newcomers to the Court of Miracles. "It may not exactly show, but we're grateful nonetheless."

"Well, don't thank us, thank Quasimodo!" said Riku.

"Yeah, if it hadn't been for his help, we would've never found our way here," added Phoebus.

"Nor would I," rang out Frollo's voice.

The seven allies turned to see Frollo standing at the entrance while his guards poured in around him. All around them, people started to scream and run only to be captured.

"After twenty years of searching, the Court of Miracles is mine at last," Frollo mused as he walked down the steps and the seven allies were apprehended. He looked at Quasimodo as he continued, "And it's all thanks to you, my dear boy."

"What do you mean, 'thanks to him'?" growled Esmeralda.

"It means that he never actually knew where this place was! It was just bait to lure Quasimodo and the rest of us to reveal the location!" groaned Riku, kicking himself for not anticipating this. He had worked with villains before, for crying out loud!

The Keyblade Wielders watched as Frollo extended a hand towards Esmeralda, who jerked away.

"Wow, Heavyn was right. He really is a perv," thought the three who hadn't seen his lecherous ways.

"Oh, and look what else I've caught in my net: Captain Phoebus back from the dead! Another 'miracle', no doubt," sneered Frollo.

"Oh, shut up, you pervy old judge!" Heavyn exclaimed, rolling her eyes in the belligerent way only a teenager could successfully pull off.

Frollo glared at her. "Talk all you want, for you're not going to survive for much longer, witch," he growled.

"Oh, jeez, like I haven't heard that before," she shot back. Quasimodo looked at his friend with shock, wondering if she had a secret death wish.

Frollo glared at her for a moment more, then he addressed the crowd. "There'll be a bonfire in the square tomorrow, and you're all invited to attend," he said. Turning to his guards, he ordered, "Lock them up."

"Wait, what did he mean by a bonfire?" asked Kairi as she and the others were led away.

"It means that he's going to burn Heavyn and Esmeralda at the stake," replied a grim Phoebus.


	36. Chapter 33

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Quasimodo stared down at the square with listless eyes as he saw two of his friends tied to two stakes. He was chained to the bell tower, the place that had been his home and prison thanks to the man now reciting the 'crimes' that his friends committed. He used to feel so chained to this place… ironic now that he was actually chained, he felt nothing but despair. He could see Sora, Riku, Kairi, and all of the others housed in cages next to the platform where Esmeralda wore the white gown that was traditional for burning and Heavyn was just tied up (he had seen the guards try to stick her in the same outfit as Esmeralda, but she had raised so much of a fuss that they decided to leave her as she was in order to make sure that fireballs weren't sent their way).

"Quasimodo! What do you think you're doing?" came a voice suddenly inside of his head. His head shot up.

"Who's this?" he demanded, looking around.

"It's the X-blade! Who else do you think it is?" came the answer.

"What're you doing inside my head?" he asked.

"Because you need to wake up and realize your full potential! Heavyn and Esmeralda need you, and I can sense that you're just wallowing in self-pity!"

"I am not wallowing in self-pity!" he shot back.

"Oh, really? Then why are you allowing yourself to remain in these chains?"

Quasimodo was silent, for the X-blade had a point.

"What good will it do, anyway? Frollo's already won," he finally replied.

"Oh, really? So you're willing ruin Heavyn's plan just because you THINK Frollo's won?"

"What plan?"

"She has a sharp, pointy weapon that she can summon at will! You think that she's just going to stand by and let herself be burned?"

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Well, think! She can free herself and Esmeralda from the stakes, but then what? Where are they going to go? And how are they going to get there without having to deal with Frollo's soldiers?" replied the X-blade.

"I still do-" he abruptly cut himself off as he realized what the X-blade was talking about. Indeed, Heavyn and Esmeralda WOULD need a place where they could claim sanctuary. And what better place than the very same bell tower he was chained against?

"I see you got it. Now, are you going to let yourself be the monster that Frollo believes you to be, or are you going to become the man Heavyn knows you can be?" goaded the X-blade.

Quasimodo's eyes filled with purpose as he made his decision.

* * *

"GAAH! Why won't Heavyn let us help?" groaned Sora as he watched Frollo recite something from a scroll, an executioner wearing the traditional black mask standing next to him holding the torch that would set the deadly blaze alight. In front of Frollo, Esmeralda glared while Heavyn's face was surprisingly calm. All around them, the crowd was showing their disapproval of the situation by shouting and trying to break the barrier that Frollo's guards had set up.

"Well, you told me that she had a plan, you just need to have faith in her," reassured Clopin. After all, he had seen these Keyblade Wielders perform many incredible feats already, so why wouldn't Heavyn be able to perform another miracle?

"That's the thing! They've been up there for who knows how long, and Heavyn hasn't even ATTEMPTED to break free!" replied Sora.

"Sora, calm down. You're going to make the guards suspicious," came Riku's voice inside his head. Sora turned to see his best friend watching him from another cage with a calculated look on his face. On the other side of Riku's cage, he could see Kairi inside yet another cage alternating between watching them and watching the still-calm Heavyn. Phoebus, however, was looking as frustrated as he felt as he watched the scene from the final cage.

"Riku, Heavyn knows that we could easily break open these cages. Why would she tell us to just sit here and wait while she's sacrificing herself?" Sora shot back silently.

"I suspect it has to do with what I tried talking to you about earlier," came Riku's answer.

"What? About how she seems to know so much about this world?"

Riku nodded. "She did ask us to trust her. Let's see what she can pull off."

The two of them turned back towards the platform. Frollo had rolled his scroll closed and was now leaning towards Esmeralda. It was obvious that he was making a proposal towards her. Suddenly Esmeralda spat in his face.

"Oh, you just got REJECTED!" cried Heavyn, who had been watching the whole thing. The crowd's jaws dropped in amazement at her cry. Frollo glared at her as he shot back a reply, to which Heavyn just merely stuck her tongue out.

"The two witches have refused to recant their evil ways," Frollo announced to the entire crowd, grabbing the torch from the executioner's hands. He continued, "These evil witches have put the soul of every citizen in Paris in awful jeopardy! For justice, for Paris, and for their own salvation, it is my sacred duty to send these unholy demons back to where they belong!" He placed the torch next to the kindling and lit the flame.

"That's it, I'm breaking out of here!" Sora growled, getting ready to summon his Keyblade.

"Wait, Sora!" came Heavyn's voice inside his head.

"Heavyn, you're going to die! I can't just let you do this!" he responded back.

She gave a mental snort. "Did you really think I was going to die that easily? Look at me."

As he looked, he saw that Heavyn, using the flames as a cover, had summoned the X-blade and maneuvered it so that the sharp edge was sawing through the ropes binding her hands. Next to her, Esmeralda started to choke on the fumes of the flames.

"Okay… but how are you two going to get off that platform?" he asked.

"Let's just say I had the X-blade do me a favor," she responded back.

Sora was about to ask more, but was cut off by a strange sound. Listening closer, he realized that it was the bells vibrating as if a great earthquake was rumbling under their feet.

"HA! I knew he wouldn't let me down!" came Heavyn's mental shout.

Sora glanced up at the bell tower as Heavyn continued to saw through her bindings. He watched as bits and pieces of the bell tower started to collapse.

"What's going on up there?" he cried, pointing towards the bell tower.

Everyone in the cages looked up at his cry. Amidst the shocked cries of the Gypsies, Riku grinned.

"Looks like Quasimodo's finally breaking free," he replied mentally.

"Wow, he's strong!" came Kairi's observation.

As they watched, two columns suddenly collapsed. Three seconds later, a figure came flying down the side of the church, a rope unraveling behind it. As the rope pulled taut, Quasimodo (for it could only be him) was suddenly swung to the side of Notre Dame. Quasimodo took a moment, then ran alongside the edge of the building, swinging out towards the square. At that moment, Heavyn's efforts finally paid off. She used the X-blade to cut Esmeralda's bindings in one swing as Quasimodo landed on the platform. Guards started to swarm the platform as Heavyn grabbed Esmeralda (who had passed out) and swung her over her shoulder. Nodding at Quasimodo, she allowed him to pick the two of them up and swing them towards the church before the guards could reach them.

"QUASIMODO!" Frollo roared in anger as the crowd cheered.

"Wait for it…" came Heavyn's voice through the mental connection.

Quasimodo and his two passengers climbed up the side of the building, finally reaching the balcony that connected the two bell towers. He set down his friends, then took the unconscious Esmeralda from Heavyn's hands and raised her above his head.

"SANCTUARY!" he cried, looking down over the crowd. As the villagers roared their approval, he repeated his call twice more, Heavyn smiling at his side.

"Captain!" Frollo ordered suddenly, drawing the captive Keyblade Wielders' attention back to him.

"Sir?" replied his new Captain.

"Seize the cathedral at once!"

"WHAT?" cried out Sora as Frollo's guards hurried to do his bidding. Glancing up, he noticed that Quasimodo had taken Esmeralda inside the cathedral. Heavyn, however, was leaning over the railing.

"Okay, what'd Frollo order?" she asked her fellow Keyblade Wielders.

"They're going to lay siege to the cathedral!" replied Kairi.

Heavyn nodded, then briefly disappeared into the church. Suddenly, Quasimodo came flying down the side of the building, landing inside another part of the church. Thirty seconds later, a heavy beam came flying out of the church, landing (and promptly destroying) on Frollo's carriage. The guards scattered.

"Come back, you cowards!" Frollo shouted. He grabbed a couple guards and ordered, "You men, grab that beam and break down the door!"

As his guards rushed to follow orders, Heavyn's voice cried out through the mental connection, "NOW!"

"Finally!" cried Sora as he summoned his Keyblade and pointed it at the door to his cage. As he unlocked it, Riku and Kairi did the same to their cages. Phoebus, however, took a more novel approach as he knocked a guard out and stole his keys and spear. As Sora opened the door to his cage, Phoebus swung onto the top of his.

"Citizens of Paris!" he cried, raising the spear above his head. "Frollo has persecuted our people, ransacked our city, and now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself!" He grabbed the spear with both hands and held it high as he asked, "Will we allow it?"

"NOO!" cried the villagers as they finally broke the barrier.

"No wonder he was made Captain. He sure has some charisma with the people," remarked Riku as he jumped out of his cage.

"Guards!" cried Kairi, pointing with her Keyblade.

"Taken care of!" suddenly replied Clopin as he and several other Gypsies engaged said guards.

"Not THOSE creatures again!" came a villager's voice. The three looked to see Heartless emerging out of the ground.

"They're ours!" cried Sora as they ran to meet the Heartless in battle.

* * *

"Breathe, Esmeralda, breathe!" muttered Heavyn as she continued to administer CPR to Esmeralda, who was lying on Quasimodo's bed. When she had come back in here and asked Quasimodo to delay the guards, she had checked on Esmeralda and found her not breathing. Thankfully, she had made the mental connection with Quasimodo earlier so that she could implement the second half of her plan while concentrating on saving Esmeralda's life. Suddenly, Esmeralda started to cough.

"Whoa… take it easy, one breath at a time," Heavyn coaxed, wiping her forehead with relief.

"What… happened?" croaked Esmeralda.

"You suffered mild asphyxiation, and I had to administer CPR," replied Heavyn.

"Huh?"

"You had stopped breathing due to the smoke from the 'holy cleansing fire', and I had to force you to breathe again."

"Oh. What's going on out there?" asked Esmeralda weakly.

"Frollo's laying siege to the cathedral while the villagers revolt against him," answered the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand. It added, "Heavyn, the Heartless have shown up in the square, and it probably won't be long before they try to stop Quasimodo from delaying the soldiers."

Heavyn nodded, then looked at Esmeralda as she ordered, "Now, get some rest. Your body needs it."

Esmeralda nodded. "Thank you, Heavyn," she sighed as she closed her eyes.

Heavyn smiled. "Not a problem," she murmured before rushing out.

* * *

"So how're we doing, Quasi?" asked Heavyn as she entered Quasimodo's base of operations.

"Pretty good," he answered as he flung a stone block down onto a ladder, breaking it.

Heavyn leaned over the edge and noticed that some guards had thrown a rope up, and was now climbing it. Waiting until she was sure they would land in the water below, she aimed a fireball at the rope.

"Wow, the one guard really DOES sound like Goofy," she thought as she saw them falling into the water. Suddenly, she head Quasimodo yelp. Turning, she saw that the X-blade's prediction came true.

"You worry about the soldiers, I'll handle the Heartless!" she cried to Quasimodo as she rushed in to meet her foes.

* * *

"Kairi! Behind you!" cried Sora.

Kairi turned, then destroyed the Soldier Heartless that had been trying to perform a sneak attack. "Thanks, Sora!" she called back.

"Uh, guys? I think we may have a problem…" warned Riku, looking towards the platform.

As the three watched, a massive Heartless started to appear from the flames of the fire that had been meant to kill their friends.

"A Heat Saber?" shouted Sora, recognizing the Heartless despite never seeing it before.

"How do you know what that Heartless is?" asked Kairi curiously.

"It's probably thanks to Roxas' memories. Now, how do we destroy it?" replied Riku, holding his Keyblade at the ready. The Heat Saber jumped and landed in the space between the Keyblade Wielders and the door to the cathedral.

"Well, there goes the plan of stopping Frollo BEFORE he enters the cathedral," remarked Sora. He thought for a moment, then added, "If I'm reading Roxas' memories right, it's weak to Blizzard magic, but strong against Fire magic."

"I'll let Heavyn know that Frollo's on his way," said Kairi, a little disappointed that the only magic she knew would be weak against the Heartless. As one, the three ran to meet the Heartless in battle.

* * *

"Heavyn! We're being stalled by something called a Heat Saber, and we can't stop Frollo from entering the church!" came Kairi's voice.

"Okay! Thanks for letting me know!" Heavyn replied as she batted aside a Shadow. She was currently the only one in that part of the church, for Quasimodo had successfully stopped the soldiers from coming up into the church and had run off to make sure Esmeralda was safe.

"Heavyn, am I reading your memories of this world's story right?" asked a worried X-blade.

"Unfortunately, yes. Frollo will be trying to kill Quasimodo, which is why we have to hurry up and finish off these Heartless!" Heavyn replied as she shot a fireball at a group of three Shadows. She parried an attack from a Gargoyle Knight, unaware that at that moment Frollo had broken down the door and was climbing towards his unwanted charge.


	37. Chapter 34

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"We've done it, Esmeralda! We've beaten them back, come and see!" cried Quasimodo triumphantly as he burst into his bedroom. Hearing no response, he looked closer at the Gypsy lying in his bed.

"Esmeralda, wake up. You're safe now!" he said, walking towards her. Seeing no response from her, he laid a hand on her cheek. When she continued to make no response, his eyes widened.

"Oh, no…" he breathed, tears starting to form in his eyes. Falling to his knees, he started to weep with sorrow. As he cried, Frollo suddenly appeared in the doorway. He walked over and laid a hand on Quasimodo's back.

"You killed her," whispered Quasimodo, not looking at his master.

"It was my duty, horrible as it was," replied Frollo with false remorse. "I hope you will forgive me." As Quasimodo continued to cry, he pulled out a dagger from behind his back and continued, "There, there, Quasimodo… I know it hurts. But now, the time has come to end your suffering… for-"

"Quasimodo, I'm he- LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!" cried out Heavyn, arriving at the scene just in time. Quasimodo turned, and gasped at the dagger clutched in his foster father's hand. He grabbed Frollo's arm as it lowered to sink the dagger in his flesh. They struggled for a moment, then Quasimodo wrenched the dagger from Frollo's hand and threw him across the room.

"Quasimodo, now listen to me..." said Frollo, eyes widening in fear at the sight of Quasimodo advancing towards him with the dagger.

"No, YOU listen!" interrupted Quasimodo, throwing the dagger aside as he finally stood up to the man that had raised him. "All my life, you've told me that the world is a dark, cruel place. But now, I finally see that the only thing that's dark and cruel about it is people like you!"

"Quasimodo?" Esmeralda suddenly called out weakly, finally waking up.

Quasimodo briefly stiffened in shock, then rushed over. "Esmeralda… you're okay," he breathed in relief.

Frollo's eyes narrowed as he reached for the sword hanging from a hidden sheath. "She lives…" he growled, unsheathing it.

"I don't think so!" exclaimed Heavyn, summoning the X-blade and standing between the judge and the two outcasts. She turned towards her friends as she said, "Run! I'll hold him off!"

As they ran, Frollo sneered, "You realize that I have the power of God behind me, witch."

"Yeah, yeah, so I'm going to die by the end of your sword, and blah, blah, blah. Don't you have ANY creative responses toward me? I mean, seriously!" Heavyn taunted back. She raised her free hand and performed a flawless 'come get me' gesture and continued, "Well, come on, Judge Creeper! Aren't you going to shut me up with your 'holy sword'?" She suddenly made a face. "Eww, just gave myself a bad mental image…," she muttered, fighting off the intense urge to channel a certain blue-collar comedian.

"What are you talking about?" asked the X-blade silently, for luckily it had not picked up that image.

"Trust me, you don't WANT to know," she thought back. At that moment, Frollo finally decided to attack, and she used it as a welcome distraction from the image of Frollo's 'holy sword' that was currently making her wish that she had a whole gallon of mental bleach at hand.

* * *

"Sora, use Blizzaga!" shouted Riku as he dodged the Heat Saber's slide attack.

Sora nodded, then promptly used said spell. The spell hit the Heartless dead on, making it stagger.

"Kairi, now!" cried Sora, knowing that the Heartless was close to its end.

Kairi ran up to the Heartless and slashed three times. At the end of the third slash, the Heartless suddenly convulsed. The trio watched as the captured heart finally left the Heartless, signifying that it was defeated.

"Thank goodness Organization XIII isn't around to steal hearts anymore," remarked Sora as he watched the heart float up into the sky.

"You said it!" agreed Kairi.

"Where's Frollo?" asked Phoebus as he came running up to the trio.

Riku's eyes widened as he looked towards the entrance to the cathedral. "Shoot! Frollo's inside!"

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!" cried the former Captain, running for the doors.

"Right behind you!" said Sora as the trio followed him.

* * *

As the four of them ran into the church, they looked around.

"Alright, where's the pervert?" muttered Kairi.

Suddenly, they heard a groan. Looking over, they noticed an older man collapsed near the stairs.

"Archbishop!" cried Phoebus as the four of them rushed over. "Father, are you alright?"

Upon hearing no response, Sora quickly performed a Curaga spell to heal the poor man. As the Archbishop slowly opened his eyes, Sora breathed a sigh of relief, for that spell won't work on a dead man.

"Archbishop, who did this to you?" asked Riku.

"Frollo… he's going to kill Quasimodo, I'm sure of it," replied the Archbishop.

"What? What makes you say that?" exclaimed Kairi.

"He told me as he threw me aside that he had some unfinished business with Quasimodo, and that this time I won't interfere," came the answer.

"So… how does that translate into Frollo killing Quasimodo?" asked Phoebus.

"According to Clopin's story, Frollo would've killed Quasimodo twenty years ago if it hadn't been for the Archbishop," explained Riku.

"Then we've gotta get up there!" shouted Sora, running up the stairs only to be blocked by the locked door. Before he could use his Keyblade, however, there was a commotion outside.

"Look up there!" came various cries.

"What's going on out there?" queried Phoebus.

"Let me check," Kairi replied as she dashed outside. Moments later, she came rushing back in. "Frollo's fighting Heavyn, and Quasimodo and Esmeralda are trying to escape him!" she reported.

"What? But what if they fall over the edge?" demanded Riku.

"Then we'll just have to catch them. Now follow me!" answered Phoebus as he dashed off down a side passage. The three Keyblade Wielders followed him.

* * *

"Hey, concentrate on me, you pervy old judge!" hollered Heavyn as Frollo once again went after Quasimodo and Esmeralda. Quasimodo had taken to swinging on the carved rain spouts just to escape his foster father, who alternated between fighting Heavyn and chasing down the others.

As Frollo ignored her in favor of chasing down Quasimodo, Heavyn growled, "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you…" She promptly aimed a fireball at his butt.

Frollo yelped, then turned to her with a glare. In the few seconds it took for him to do this, Heavyn had combined her features to create the perfect face of innocence (only Angela's face could top hers… but then again, she WAS the youngest so Heavyn only had mild complaints). As Frollo charged, Heavyn maneuvered herself so that she was between him and her friends.

"Hey, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, did you see what I did? I took advantage of the opening Frollo foolishly gave me when he tried to go after you. I had even warned him, and he foolishly ignored it," remarked Heavyn, her voice taking on the tone of a mentor teaching a lesson as she parried Frollo's attack. Esmeralda smothered a giggle at Heavyn's antics while Frollo growled at her words.

"Now is NOT the time to be fooling around, you stupid girl!" Frollo snarled, the witch wielding that strange blade now claiming the top spot of things he hates (replacing those infernal Gypsies).

"Oh, yeah? What're you going to do about it, Ye Olde Judgy Pervert?" taunted Heavyn.

Frollo looked around and noticed that during the fight, he and Heavyn had proceed quite a few steps ahead of the Gypsy girl and his unwanted charge. He smirked as he replied, "This!" He promptly used his cloak to blind her, then shoved her over the edge of the building while grabbing his cloak back.

"Frickin' A!" Heavyn shouted as she felt herself fall. She quickly released the X-blade and grabbed onto one of the carved rainspouts, scrabbling to get a better grip when she felt herself slipping.

Frollo chuckled lowly and evilly as he watched her struggle for a moment, then turned back to his original targets. His smile grew as he noticed that the hunchback had placed himself between the Gypsy girl and the man who threatened them.

"I should've known that you'd risk your life trying to save that Gypsy wench and the witch," Frollo sneered at his charge, "Just as your own mother died trying to save you."

"W-What?" said a shocked Quasimodo, his entire world shifting in that moment. His mother had died trying to save him? She hadn't left him behind?

"That's right, Quasi! Frollo lied about your mother so that he could manipulate you! HE'S the one that killed your mother in the first place!" came the X-blade's voice inside his head.

"And now," continued Frollo, unaware of what the X-blade had just told Quasimodo, "I'm going to do to you what I should have done twenty years ago!" He then pulled the same trick that had tricked Heavyn on Quasimodo. Only this time, there was a hitch in the plan.

"Whoa!" he shouted as Quasimodo swung around to the side, effectively pulling Frollo down with him. He glared as he clutched the cloak that was held in Quasimodo's hands, knowing that all Quasimodo had to do was let go in order for Frollo to die.

As Quasimodo started to slip, Esmeralda suddenly grabbed the hand that was closest to her. Frollo took advantage of the hunchback's distraction by swinging himself like a pendulum toward the empty rainspout that was next to the three of them. Once he was close enough, he grabbed the rainspout and pulled himself up.

"That's not fair! How can he pull himself up so easily?" grumped Heavyn as she still struggled to get on her own rainspout.

"Maybe his arm muscles are stronger than yours," supplied the X-blade helpfully, unaware of the innuendo in that statement.

Heavyn snorted with silent laughter. "X-blade, when I'm not in danger of dying, I'm going to tell you just how WRONG that statement was," she promised. She watched as Quasimodo finally let go of Frollo's cloak, then her eyes widened as Frollo started to laugh.

"'And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!'" he quoted, holding the sword that he had managed to hold on to high. At this, Heavyn felt a rush of anger. She released her left hand and summoned the X-blade, feeling a rush of energy start to pool into the blade

"Indeed He shall!" she shouted as she pointed her weapon at the rainspout Frollo stood on. Suddenly, a ball of light shot out from the X-blade and hit the intended target. Frollo slipped as the rainspout cracked, his face aligning that with the carved stone one.

"Holy Sea-Salt Ice Cream… did I just perform a Shotlock?" wondered Heavyn as she glanced at the X-blade. Hearing Frollo start to scream, she glanced back up as the rainspout lost the battle to gravity, plunging Frollo into the very flames that had been meant for Heavyn and Esmeralda. Suddenly, she panicked as she felt herself slipping again.

"Crap!" she shouted as she fell. She could vaguely hear Esmeralda shouting, and turned to see that Quasimodo had fallen, too. She realized in that moment that she might actually die.

"I… I don't want to die! I still have to save Repliku!" she thought as she fell. Realizing that this was the first time since the accident that she actually didn't accept the possibility of death, she closed her eyes and summoned the X-blade. Before she could turn it into a glider, however, she felt someone catch her. She opened her eyes, then widened in surprise as she saw who had been her savior.

"Gotcha," remarked Riku, giving her a grin.


	38. Chapter 35

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Riku? Wha… how did you…" Heavyn sputtered in shock.

Riku continued to grin broadly as he brought her inside the church.

"Wait, Quasi fell, too!" Heavyn remembered, "We gotta s-"

"He's already been saved," interrupted Riku, gesturing with his head. Heavyn looked over to see Phoebus dragging Quasimodo inside. Setting him down, he smiled at the shocked hunchback.

"Aww," Heavyn cooed as she saw Quasimodo give a surprised Phoebus a huge hug. Suddenly, she heard two echoing coos. She gasped with surprise as she turned to see Sora and Kairi staring at her. "What?" she asked them.

"I have to admit, Heavyn, you look really cute in Riku's arms," remarked Kairi with a big grin. Next to her, Sora nodded his agreement.

Heavyn promptly blushed as she realized that Riku was in fact still carrying her, then turned her face towards his own. "Put me down already!" she exclaimed, unable to hide the embarrassed tone in her voice.

"As you wish," Riku chuckled as he finally set her down.

Still blushing heavily, Heavyn cleared her throat. "Uh, thanks, Riku, for, uh, saving me," she said, averting her eyes.

Riku laughed, "No problem, Heavyn." He opened his mouth to tease her, but luckily she was saved by the appearance of Esmeralda.

"You… you're all safe," she breathed.

Quasimodo nodded as he let go of Phoebus. Esmeralda promptly ran up and gave the hunchback a hug.

"I'm so glad," she murmured, tears of happiness falling down her face. As Phoebus walked towards the duo, suddenly Quasimodo pulled out of the hug. Under the gaze of the Keyblade Wielders, he grabbed one of Phoebus' hands and placed it within the hand of the Gypsy. Heavyn beamed as he then promptly placed both of his hands over the couple's, the look on his face signifying that he was supportive of the couple. He then promptly stepped away, leaving the couple alone.

"Aww," Kairi cooed as the two kissed. Next to her, Sora and Riku's jaws dropped open, for of course they hadn't seen this coming. Heavyn, however, walked over to stand next to the first friend that she had made in this world.

"I'm proud of you, Quasimodo," she said silently to him.

Quasimodo looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you, Heavyn," he replied aloud. "You have done so much for me… how can I ever repay you?"

Heavyn grinned, "Just remember that every person has an enormous capacity to change, and we'll call it even." She chuckled, then added, "Trust me, the one YOU'RE destined for will thank you for it." She laughed aloud at his dumbfounded expression.

"What's so funny, Heavyn?" asked Sora. Everyone else in the room turned towards the duo.

"Oh, nothing, just imagining the X-blade's reaction to the promise that I made it," she half-lied.

"That's right, you never did tell my how my statement was so wrong!" complained the X-blade as it materialized in Heavyn's hand.

Notre Dame was silent for a few moments, except for the sounds of the villagers finally putting out the deadly blaze in the dawn's growing light. Then… "EWW! That's DISGUSTING!"

* * *

After laughing over the X-blade's reaction (even though only Heavyn knew what brought it on- she didn't want her friends' minds scarred, after all), they had gone down to see to the Archbishop. Heavyn finally thanked him for all that he had done while she gently coerced him into bed (he had felt that there was still so much to do, but she wouldn't hear of him walking about without some well-needed and well-deserved rest first). When the Archbishop finally closed his eyes, the group decided to pay their respects to the cathedral that had been the scene of the world's story.

As Phoebus, Esmeralda, and Quasimodo knelt in front of the main altar (with Sora, Riku, and Kairi standing off to the side, their heads bowed respectfully), Heavyn had glanced up at the detailed shrine. Her family had been Christian, but she herself was more spiritual than religious. She decided, however, to pray for the first time in a long time.

Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she prayed silently, "God, Allah, Buddha, whoever's listening… I'm sorry that I haven't given you much thought lately. However, I just want to ask you… please let Repliku be okay. Let my family be happy wherever they're at… and guard those who have been broken until I can come to fix them." Lifting her head and opening her eyes, she saw all of her friends looking at her.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's let the crowd know that we're okay!" she had exclaimed cheerily. As they all grinned, they walked towards the door that still had a hole from when Frollo had broken in.

"Phoebus, Esmeralda, you go first," suggested Sora, noticing Quasimodo's growing uneasiness the closer they got to the crowd waiting outside. The duo nodded, then opened the door. The five who had stayed behind listened as the crowd cheered.

"Ready to face the world, Quasi?" asked Riku.

Quasimodo gulped, "Not really…"

Heavyn laid a hand on his hunch as she said, "I'm sure you'll be fine. After all, you were willing to face Frollo, weren't you? So summon the courage that you had in that moment for now."

Quasimodo took a deep breath. At that moment, Esmeralda turned back towards the church, holding her hand out.

"Showtime!" Kairi said, nudging Quasimodo towards the door. The four Keyblade Wielders watched as he shyly walked out of the church. At his appearance, the crowd went quiet. As Quasimodo looked like he was about to bolt back inside the church, suddenly a young girl separated herself from the crowd and walked toward him. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, then the little girl reached for his face. Quasimodo instinctively reared back at first, but as the little girl continued to touch his face without any signs of fear he calmed down. All of his friends smiled as he allowed the little girl to hug him around his neck, and placed one of his hands over her own.

As the young girl pulled the bell-ringer towards the rest of the crowd, suddenly Clopin cried out, "Three cheers for Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame!" The crowd roared its approval, and suddenly Quasimodo was hoisted high by the grateful townsfolk.

"And so this story has a happy ending," Heavyn remarked.

"Indeed it does," replied Clopin as he walked towards the Keyblade Wielders. "And I'm glad that you four were able to help out!"

"Oh, it was no big deal," answered Sora, linking his hands behind his head.

"I just have one question, Clopin," Heavyn suddenly remarked. "How DID you know what happened twenty years ago? That was the one thing I could never figure out!"

Clopin laughed, "The answer is quite simple: I was a young watch-boy at the time, and I saw the whole thing happen."

"That makes sense," remarked Kairi. She turned towards her three friends and asked, "Are you guys ready to go?"

"What, you mean you aren't staying?" asked Esmeralda as she and Phoebus walked towards the group.

Riku shook his head and answered, "We can't stay. There's still so much we have to do."

Heavyn nodded, then added, "After all, I still have a friend to save, and tasks I have to complete."

Phoebus nodded his understanding. "Will we ever see you four again?"

"Who knows? The future isn't set in stone, so there's always a possibility," replied Kairi.

"And Quasimodo has a means to contact us, so if you ever need us just let him know," added Heavyn. Sora, Riku, and Kairi looked at her with shock, for they hadn't known that Quasimodo had connected with the X-blade.

"We'll do that," replied Esmeralda. The group all exchanged hugs, then the Keyblade Wielders turned to leave.

Suddenly, Heavyn turned back towards Esmeralda and Phoebus. "Oh, and Esmeralda, Phoebus? I think that Zephyr's a great name," she remarked cryptically. As she ran to catch up to her friends, Esmeralda and Phoebus exchanged a look of confusion. Clopin, meanwhile, just grinned. That Heavyn was really something else to predict the future…

* * *

"Okay, so who wants to open the portal this time?" asked Heavyn as the four of them turned down the alley that they had arrived in.

Riku suddenly stopped. As the other three turned towards him, he leveled his gaze at Heavyn. "Before we go," he remarked, crossing his arms, "I have a bone to pick with you. That last comment you made towards Esmeralda and Phoebus proves my suspicions. You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

"What? How could she—" Kairi started to protest, however Heavyn interrupted her.

"I did, and I didn't," she replied, meeting Riku's gaze steadily. "Do you remember my world's ability?"

"What, you mean collecting the stories of other worlds?" asked Sora.

Heavyn nodded. "This world's story was one of the ones I was familiar with."

Sora and Kairi gaped. "So… when you were so anxious to get to Quasi at the Festival, it was because you knew he was going to be tortured?" queried Sora.

As Heavyn nodded, Kairi burst out, "So you could've prevented it! Why didn't you?"

Heavyn sighed, "Because then Quasimodo wouldn't have been able to become the man that he is now. Think about it: if he hadn't been tortured, then Esmeralda wouldn't have had to defy Frollo, which would've meant that Frollo would still be alive making Quasimodo believe that he's a monster."

"But… what about when Frollo ambushed us at the Court of Miracles, why didn't you tell us? For that matter, if you were familiar with this world, then that meant that you lied to us when you said you didn't know how to get to the Court of Miracles!" Sora shouted, getting angrier. He was about to continue, but Heavyn interrupted him.

"Look, just because I knew this world's story didn't mean I knew all the details! In my world's version of the story, the Heartless and the Unversed never made an appearance, and only Esmeralda was accused of being a witch!" she shot back. "And yes, I lied about me knowing the location of the Court of Miracles. However, if I hadn't, then Phoebus and Quasimodo would've never become friends!" As Sora and Riku glared at Heavyn, suddenly the X-blade grew irritated.

"Okay, everyone, calm down!" burst in the X-blade, appearing in Heavyn's hand. "Heavyn told me when we first arrived that she knew this world's story."

"Wait, if she told you, why didn't she tell us? We could've prevented so much bad stuff from happening!" demanded Riku.

"Because she told me that if she didn't, we could've paved the way for something WORSE to happen," replied the X-blade. "It's like that old conundrum of going back in time to change history: if you do it, then the future that you would be familiar with may turn out worse."

"I guess I get it… after all, Merlin had warned Donald, Goofy, and I to not interfere with the past during my last visit to Disney Castle," said Sora, rubbing the back of his neck.

"See? Heavyn did everything she did for a reason: to allow the story to continue in the direction it was meant to," remarked the X-blade. "Is that so wrong?"

Kairi shook her head. "No… that's not wrong at all." Turning towards her two best friends, she glared and placed her hands on her hips, she added, "So you two apologize to her at once! Honestly, with the way you two were interrogating her, it seemed like you were accusing her of working with Xehanort!"

The two Keyblade Masters were speechless. Never had they seen Kairi this angry.

Sora was the first to back down. "Sorry, Heavyn… I guess we didn't bother to look at the bigger picture," he said, meeting her gaze.

"It's okay, Sora," replied Heavyn. When Riku didn't say anything, Kairi glared at him.

"Well? Aren't you going to apologize?" she demanded.

Riku sighed, "Well… I'm sorry for my accusations. However, I can't just let this go. After all, if you know something, Heavyn, you could've told us."

Heavyn thought for a moment, then offered, "Okay, then, how about a compromise? After all, I can't automatically tell you everything that I know for it could change, just like when I was also accused of being a witch. So, how about I tell you guys when it's a world whose story I'm familiar with? I could drop you guys hints, but the story shouldn't be changed dramatically."

Contemplating her offer, Riku nodded his agreement. "I'll agree to that."

Heavyn grinned, then held out her hand. "Truce?"

"Truce," Riku confirmed, shaking it.

"Good! Now let's get out of here!" cried the X-blade.

The four of them laughed. "Riku, I believe it's your turn to open a portal," remarked Kairi.

Riku nodded as the four of them summoned their armor. Pointing his Keyblade towards the sky, he opened the portal as the other three turned their Keyblades into gliders. His friends waited until his glider was ready, then the four of them shot towards the portal. The First Fragment World was waiting, after all.

* * *

A/N: OMG, Notre Dame's FINALLY finished! *promptly hides Notre Dame DVD* Yeah, I would've posted this last night, but my internet was being dumb. Next up: The First Fragment World! YAY! Oh, and for those of you who haven't noticed yet, I started a new story based off of the Final Fantasy VII fandom. Please tell me what you think of it!

Reviews will be used to contribute to the insanity of the author (how else do you think I make such great stories?)


	39. Hidden Flame Report 2

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters.

* * *

That day started just like another day. My friend and I were on our way to the castle gardens to execute our latest plan to break into the castle. I can't remember all of the details anymore, but one thing I do remember is that we had to be there at a certain time in order to be there when the guards changed shifts. The theory behind it was that the guards wouldn't be paying attention, and we could sneak in right under their noses.

As we headed towards the main gate, we came across some monsters… to this day, I have no idea what they were. They seem similar to what I now know are the Heartless, yet different at the same time. Thanks to those monsters, we were forced to head towards the side gate, since neither Isa nor I could fight them off yet.

Heading towards the main square, I remember that for once Isa and I were walking along in silence. As we headed down the ramp to the lower part of the square, suddenly a weird-looking wooden sword (that I now know was in the shape of a Keyblade) clattered in front of me. Heh, funnily enough, even though I can't remember important details like how I got to this place or what I even am, I can still remember what was written on it: Terra. Picking it up, I noticed a blonde kid sitting nearby, looking depressed.

"Hey, this yours?" I called out to the boy… he looked like he was a year or two younger than me. However, as I continued to look at him, he remained a stranger… which was weird, because I thought I knew everyone in Radiant Garden at the time, even that weird talking duck dude and the long-bearded old guy who had that weird droopy hat. In fact, the more I studied him, the more… otherworldly he seemed. Isa, of course, scolded me for lolly-gagging, but being the friendly guy that I am I had to take some time to talk to this kid who had to have come from another world.

As I walked to where he was sitting, I naturally had to good-naturedly rip on him for playing with toy swords… I mean, at his age? Seriously? Of course, I had no room to talk with my Frisbees, but still. As I showed him my prized possessions, I was surprisingly disappointed when he wasn't impressed. Luckily, I managed to brush off that weird feeling of disappointment and introduced myself. That's how I learned the name of the boy who unknowingly changed my life forever: Ventus.

I noticed that Ventus still seemed kinda down, so in order to cheer him up I offered to spar with him. The plan was that we'd fight for a couple of minutes, then I'd purposefully lose so that he'd feel better. He was a little reluctant at first, but then he got a gleam in his eye that… frankly enchanted me.

"You're gonna be sorry," he warned as he picked up his wooden sword and prepared to fight. He was right: he soundly defeated me moments later. I tried to claim it as a draw, but no one was fooled. Isa, naturally, took that moment to make fun of me which stung my pride. After all, I was trying to look strong in front of Ventus, not look like a weakling! Naturally, I jibed back at him for not being a good friend.

"See what I have to put up with? I sure hope you don't have friends like him," I remember saying to Ventus. At this, he finally seemed to cheer up, as if I reminded him of someone… maybe I reminded him of one of his friends or something, I dunno. He started to laugh. His laughter was so contagious, even Isa started laughing along.

Suddenly, Isa reminded me of our time limit, which I had completely forgotten about while hanging out with Ventus. As he started to look disappointed, I cheered him up by remarking that we were friends, and that we'd probably see each other again. Isa asked me about my remark (in his usual rude way), to which I gave my typical answer of wanting to live forever through people's memories. We both looked back at the castle… then headed off to get caught by the guards (I think it was Dilan that time) yet again.

Little did I know that that'd be the last time I saw that kid. The blonde stranger who finally made me want to see if the rumors surrounding the door in the castle were true…


	40. Hidden Flame Report 3

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of their characters

* * *

A few days (and three more failed attempts to break into the castle) later, Isa came barging into my room, talking about a new apprentice of Ansem the Wise's. I perked up at this, for the last apprentice Ansem took in was Ienzo, whose parents used to hang out with mine until disease took them. We knew that becoming one of Ansem's apprentices took skill and sheer dumb luck.

As we walked towards our usual place to spy on the castle, Isa filled me in on what he knew about the new apprentice. Apparently, according to rumors, he had just shown up in the square one day. A suit of armor had been found next to him, and everyone who had seen it agreed that it was other-worldly. At this, my heart perked up. Was the new apprentice Ventus? If it was, maybe he could sneak us into the castle… or so my thinking went at the time. Ah, the innocence of youth.

Arriving, we looked over the gardens… and not a moment too soon, for the new apprentice had just made an appearance with my least favorite of the apprentices, Braig. I felt disappointed by the sight of him, for it definitely wasn't Ventus.

"See? There's Xehanort!" exclaimed Isa, pointing at the white-haired guy. As I studied him, I suddenly felt leery about this guy. Normally, I'd give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but Xehanort… something about him just rubbed me the wrong way. In that moment, I knew that I needed to stay as far away from him as possible. Of course, him hanging out with Braig didn't help him in my book.

When I turned towards Isa to share my sentiments, however, Isa was staring at Xehanort as if he could be our ticket to a lifetime supply of free Sea-Salt Ice Cream. As I wander now, alone here in this existence, I think that particular moment was the true start of the loss of our friendship… not the moment we became Nobodies, like I had originally thought.

Six years later, my misgivings about Xehanort would be proven right.


	41. Chapter 36

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine

* * *

"Man, it was great being back in Agrabah again!" exclaimed Sora as the four traveled the Lanes Between.

"It was great seeing Jasmine again, and I'm so happy that she and Aladdin invited us to their wedding!" added Kairi.

"Although… who was that sitar player that you recommended, Heavyn? It seemed like you knew him personally," asked Riku.

"Oh, he was a Nobody who became a Somebody," answered Heavyn cryptically, her grin at the double meaning of that phrase hidden by her helmet. "I found him while looking for Aladdin before the first attempt at the wedding."

"Either way, Myde was excellent! I hope the Sultan keeps him on permanently," remarked Sora.

"Uh… does Sora realize that Myde was once—" the X-blade started to ask silently, but Heavyn cut it off.

"Don't tell him Myde's former identity. After all, he had fought against Sora under Xemnas' orders. In an ordinary situation, they probably wouldn't have fought each other. I think that Myde now deserves the life he always desired," she ordered.

"Alright… I won't tell him. Although, if he asks, do I still have to keep quiet?"

Heavyn thought about it for a moment. "No. I think that if he has the knowledge to ask, then he deserves to know the truth," she answered.

"Hey, what's that up ahead?" Kairi suddenly asked, pointing an armored finger at what appeared to be a dark figure.

"I dunno… Let's find out!" exclaimed Sora as he sped up towards the strange thing, the others not far behind. When they arrived, they realized one thing: This thing was HUGE.

"Hey, this looks kinda familiar…" Heavyn remarked, studying the dark thing. Suddenly, the light bulb went on in her head. "That's it! It looks exactly like a locked world from one of the Kingdom Hearts games!"

"A locked world?" queried Riku.

Heavyn nodded. "In the game, they didn't want you to get ahead of yourself, so they 'locked' some worlds, and you couldn't gain access to them until you completed certain tasks," she explained.

"Great! So what tasks do we have to do?" inquired Sora.

"Um… the tasks involved the Gummi Ship," replied Heavyn sheepishly.

"Oh," said Sora glumly. There went that chance of getting in. He crept closer to the world, seeing if he could spot a way in. Suddenly, he hit a barrier which sent him flying back. "Ow!" he exclaimed as he tried to right his glider.

"Hey, did anyone else see that?" exclaimed Heavyn with shock, staring at the world.

"See what?" asked Riku.

"That Keyhole when Sora hit the barrier!"

"A Keyhole?" inquired the three Islanders. Heavyn sighed.

"Someone hit the barrier, and I'll show you!" she suggested.

The trio looked at each other for a moment, then Riku edged his way closer to the world. As he got closer, Sora and Kairi kept their eyes peeled for the elusive Keyhole. Suddenly it appeared as Riku nudged the barrier slightly, sending him back (although not as far as it had sent Sora).

"Whoa! There IS a Keyhole!" exclaimed Kairi. Riku flew towards his friends, who were staring at a certain spot on the world.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's unlock it and land!" he said. Kairi nodded, then turned her glider back into her Keyblade and pointed it at the spot where she had seen the Keyhole. Nothing happened.

"Huh?" said Kairi with confusion. "That's weird… why isn't it unlocking?"

"Here, let me try," suggested Riku. He performed the same actions as Kairi… with the same results. "What's going on?" he wondered aloud.

"My turn!" exclaimed Sora. As he did the same thing, the Keyhole appeared… but nothing else happened. "Hey! I'm the Keyblade Master! Why isn't it unlocking?" shouted a confused Sora.

"Hey, at least the Keyhole appeared with yours," remarked Kairi.

"So… the Keyhole won't appear with Kairi's or my Keyblade, yet it'll appear with Sora's Keyblade. However, that's all it'll do," mused Riku. "Why is that?"

"Maybe… it's because Sora's Keyblade was once part of the X-blade," suggested Heavyn slowly.

"Wait, what?" exclaimed the two boys.

"Wait, does this have to do with why the King viewed you as Xehanort's henchman when you first revealed that you had the X-blade?" asked Kairi.

Heavyn nodded. "Over ten years ago, the King helped Aqua destroy the X-blade to stop Xehanort's plan at the time. It was later revealed that it had split into two Keyblades: Sora's Keyblade, and the Keyblade that King Mickey himself received in the Realm of Darkness," she explained to the two boys.

"Um, okay… so what does that have to do with this?" asked Sora, his mind a little overwhelmed by the news.

"Well, what I was getting at was that maybe the only thing that can unlock this world," Heavyn answered as she turned her glider into the X-blade, "is the X-blade itself." She pointed it at the world. The Keyhole appeared brighter than ever, and a light shot out from the X-blade. As they heard the sound of a lock being undone, suddenly the Keyhole sunk in on itself. The four friends felt a strong pull towards the newly created hole that they suddenly realized they couldn't pull away from.

"Everyone, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" shouted Heavyn as the four of them were sucked into the hole that led to the world.

* * *

_Little one, are you sure this is the place? _asked the dragon to her rider.

The young Rider frowned as the three of them landed. _This IS where the reports said that the strange creatures were spotted, _he replied_._ Turning to his other companion, he asked her, "What are we looking for again?"

She frowned, her cat-like eyes scanning their surroundings. "We're looking for strange creatures with red eyes. Apparently, the scouts that had seen them had remarked that they looked and behaved like monsters. What we need to find out is if they are creations of the Empire, or if they're something that we can ally ourselves with," she replied.

"Okay…" he said dubiously as the two of them climbed down to the ground. As the three of them looked around, he suddenly had a prickly feeling on the back of his neck that made him reach for his sword. As he unsheathed it, he glanced over to see that his companions had felt it too, if the unsheathed sword and the bared teeth were any indication.

_Here they come…_ hissed the dragon, her thoughts projected to the both of them. Suddenly, strange blue creatures shot out of the ground.

The elf-lady stiffened as she looked at the creatures. "Those weren't made by the Empire… and they aren't friendly," she said, holding her sword at the ready. The Rider's eyes narrowed as he reached with his mind towards the creatures. What he felt made him reel back.

"Such chaotic emotions… what are these things?" he exclaimed, retreating back from the creatures' minds.

_Look out!_ shouted the dragon. The Rider turned in time to dodge the punch of a rather large monster with a strange emblem on either its chest or stomach (he couldn't figure out which one).

"Looks like we'll have to fight," he ground out between his teeth, lifting his sword in a battle ready stance.

* * *

"Ow, that kinda hurt…" muttered Heavyn as she sat up from the ground. She turned towards her friends as she asked, "Are you guys alright?"

"The landing could've gone better… but other than that I'm okay," replied Riku. Next to him, Sora and Kairi murmured their own reassurances. Heavyn nodded her relief as she stood up and willed her armor to come off.

"Okay, now that we've established that the weird way we entered this world didn't give us any lasting harm… how about we poke around a bit?" she suggested as her friends stood up and willed their own armor off.

"Wait, you mean you don't know this world?" asked Sora.

Heavyn furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "I dunno… this world definitely has the feeling that I should know it, yet it's… different."

"Hey! That's what the X-blade said when it mentioned the Fragment Worlds! Maybe we found one!" exclaimed Kairi excitedly.

"That would explain the weird Keyhole that wouldn't accept any but the X-blade," mused Riku.

"Hey, X-blade, DID we manage to find a Fragment World?" asked Sora aloud.

"That's right! You found one!" answered the X-blade as it appeared in Heavyn's hand. Suddenly, it asked, "Hey, Heavyn, you feel any different?"

"Huh? Like how?" replied Heavyn, cocking her head to the side in confusion as she looked at her weapon.

"Just think on it," answered the X-blade amusedly.

Heavyn frowned in confusion as she thought on it. Suddenly, she understood what the X-blade was talking about.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed in surprise. "It's like… I can feel everyone's life energy, or something!" Suddenly, she whipped her head over to the left, focusing on a small hill. "And there's three energies that are fighting what I think are the Unversed!"

"What? How can you tell?" demanded Riku.

"I can… just sense it, I guess," she answered as she tossed the X-blade into the air, turning it into a glider. "X-blade, is this one of those world abilities that Master Eraqus was talking about?" she called.

"Yep! When we went through the portal, you gained the ability. Now, you just have to learn how to use it," replied the X-blade, flying back down in front of Heavyn.

"Well, that's different," remarked Kairi as she and the two boys summoned their own gliders. "Last time, she didn't learn the ability until after we were done with the world."

"That's one of the differences between the Fragments and their normal counterparts," responded the X-blade.

"Okay, enough chit-chat. Let's fight some Unversed!" exclaimed Heavyn. Together, they sped towards the energies that Heavyn could feel. She furrowed her brow as she concentrated on them. Two of them felt like her companions, but the third… was massive.

Suddenly, they crested the top of the hill. Sure enough, what looked like a man and a woman were fighting the Unversed, along with…

"A dragon? What kind of world is this?" shouted Kairi, seeing the large beast trying to snap at some Floods, who only darted into the ground.

"Doesn't matter!" replied Heavyn as she sped towards the small group that was faring poorly against their enemies. Jumping off her glider (and turning it back into the X-blade in the process), she blocked a punch from a Bruiser that had been aimed towards the man and sent it flying back.

"What the… who're you?" he cried in shock, pointing his blue sword at her.

"Long story short, we're the enemies of these monsters! Now, let us do our jobs!" she replied as she defeated the Bruiser. Looking around, she noticed that her companions had landed. "Sora, Riku! You guys do Eternal Session while Kairi and I use Ring of Faith!" she ordered.

"Right!" replied the boys as Kairi ran towards her. Within moments, the Unversed were defeated.

"Okay, now that the Unversed are de—" Heavyn started to say, but stopped as she heard a growl. Spinning around, she noticed that the dragon (who, Heavyn noted now that she was paying attention, was a spectacular shade of blue) was staring at the group with its lip raised, revealing all of the pointy teeth in its arsenal.

_Who are you four?_ came a voice that carried a distinctive female tone, the growl in it revealing that it was the dragon who had spoken.

"And tell us more about those monsters if you're their so-called enemies," added the man that Heavyn had saved. Heavyn's eyes widened as she took in his appearance. He looked like the perfect blend of man and elf, and he was pointing a blue hand-and-half sword at her. She looked over at the final member of the group. Sure enough, the pointed ears and slanted eyebrows above narrowed eyes indicated that the green-eyed raven-haired lady was indeed an elf.

"I know where we are now. Let me take care of this," she said silently to her fellow Keyblade Wielders as she stepped forward. "Please forgive me, but I don't know how to do the elvish version of the bow, so let me just do a normal one in its stead," she said aloud. To everyone's astonishment, she touched her first two fingers to her lips, then bowed as she said, "Atra esterní ono thelduin, Arya Dröttningu, Eragon Shadeslayer Bromsson, and Saphira Brightscales."


	42. Chapter 37

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, The Inheritance saga, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

A/N: I apologize for any character that seems OOC! I tried, but I know I failed in there somewhere... so fair warning!

* * *

Arya was the first to recover, and quickly performed the bow in the correct way. "Atra du evínya ono varda," she replied, continuing the elvish greeting. Eragon and Saphira recovered at this, and also continued the elvish greeting.

Heavyn smiled at this, and finished with, "Un atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr," the optional third and final line of the greeting.

As she did this, her friends looked at the four of them with confusion.

"Um, Heavyn… what did you just do?" asked Sora.

Heavyn looked back at her friends. "I just greeted them the traditional elvish way," she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yes, but how do you know so much about our customs?" asked Arya politely. As Heavyn looked at her, however, she could still see the suspicion lurking just below the surface.

Heavyn closed her eyes in thought, then opened them as answered honestly, "Because I come from a world that documents some of the tales of Alagaësia, and thus I learned some of your customs."

"Wait, you're actually admitting it to them?" asked the X-blade silently, choosing not to appear since Heavyn had dismissed it in order to do the elvish greeting.

"Yes. After all, I did touch my fingers to my lips, promising that I wouldn't lie to them," thought back Heavyn.

"Yeah, but on other worlds you just neglected to mention the skills of your world, only revealing what was necessary to continue the story," the X-blade pointed out.

"Well, I need to learn to use this world's gift, right? Which means that any one of these three could be my future teacher. If they are, then that means that they'll be able to go poking around inside my head, thus enabling them to learn the truth anyways. It's better for me to admit it up front than for me to lie, then have them find out the truth later," Heavyn replied. "Oh, and make sure you let Sora, Riku, and Kairi know about this so that they understand why I'm admitting it up front."

"That makes sense. I'll tell them," responded the X-blade, connecting to the other Keyblade Wielders.

_A world?_ asked Saphira, unaware of the silent conversation between weapon and wielder. _I don't understand what you mean._

Heavyn nodded with understanding. "I'm not from this world," she confirmed. Gesturing to her friends, who all had the 'silent conversation' look on their faces at this point, she added, "And neither are they."

Eragon narrowed his eyes, then proclaimed, "I don't believe you."

Heavyn sighed, for she had figured that she needed to prove herself. "You had told your cousin Roran Stronghammer Garrowsson and his now wife Katrina Ismirasdaughter that her father Sloan, who had betrayed both you and the village of Carvahall to Galbatorix's agents, had died in the Ra'zac's lair inside Helgrind. In reality, you had sent him to the elvish capital of Ellesméra, sentencing him to never see his daughter again for his crimes by using his true name to compel him to agree. He had been blind when you did this, however you had requested of Arya's mother Queen Islanzadí that if he should ever truly regret any of his crimes, then the elves would restore his sight, to which she agreed," she stated. As Eragon stared openmouthed, she continued, "Oh, and Arya is also deserving of the title Shadeslayer, for she had defeated the Shade Varaug in the battle of Feinster by working in tandem with you and Saphira, similar to how you defeated the Shade Durza back in the battle of Tronjheim."

There was a moment of stunned silence tinged with a hint of confusion on the Keyblade Wielders' part.

_Impressive… _admitted Saphira.

Eragon stared at the Keyblade Wielders. "Who are you?" he finally asked.

Sora was the first one to answer, for this was one of his favorite parts of going to a new world. "My name's Sora!" he cheerfully announced, placing his hands behind his head.

"I'm Kairi!" said girl introduced herself, clasping her hands behind her back.

Riku just crossed his arms as he said, "The name's Riku."

"And I'm Heavyn, and this," Heavyn said as she summoned the X-blade back, "is the X-blade."

"Wait, why would you introduce us to your weapon?" asked Eragon.

"Because I'm not just a weapon!" replied the X-blade.

Saphira's head snapped up with surprise. _It talks!_

"Okay, is this going to be EVERYONE'S reaction to me?" demanded the X-blade, starting to get a little miffed.

Heavyn laughed, "Pretty much."

"I've never seen anything like this…" mused Arya.

Heavyn looked at the elvish princess. "Well, we Keyblade Wielders _would_ be strange to you," she pointed out.

_Keyblade Wielders?_ asked Saphira.

"What are Keyblades?" added Eragon, the transition between the two questions going so smoothly that it was obvious that the two of them were finishing each other's sentences.

Riku took over at this point. "Keyblades are the weapons we wield," he explained as he summoned his Keyblade. "Each Keyblade is unique to its wielder, due to the fact that it's the Keyblade who chooses the wielder, not the other way around."

"Similar to how dragons choose their Riders," added Heavyn helpfully. "Although the X-blade is a bit… different."

"Different in what way?" asked Arya, looking more curious by the minute.

"Well, how I'm forged for one. Oh, and the fact that I can talk, and I can connect to people's minds. Plus, there's more stuff that Heavyn'll discover in time," replied the X-blade.

Eragon nodded, then asked, "Okay, so if you four are Keyblade Wielders, then what were those creatures that attacked us? You had mentioned that they were enemies of yours."

"That's easy, they're Unv- AAGH!" cried out Sora, clutching his head desperately.

"Sora!" shouted Kairi, rushing to his side.

"Sora, what's wrong?" exclaimed Riku, both him and Heavyn widening their eyes with worry.

"The headache… I thought I wouldn't get it this time, but it HURTS!" he answered, his eyes squeezing shut.

"You mean like worse than before?" Heavyn asked, placing herself in front of him.

Sora nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"Crapperiffic!" she muttered, "Of all the times not to know a Cure spell…" She kneeled before him and said soothingly, "I know it hurts, but I need you to tell me exactly what you're feeling, okay Sora?"

"I… can't!" Sora sobbed as he fell to his knees, the pain becoming too much to hold in. Heavyn frowned at this. She quickly came to a decision based on her new skills.

"Sora, I'm going to try and enter your mind to see if I can draw the pain out, okay?" she told him, kneeling down in front of him. As he nodded his understanding, she tentatively reached her mind out towards his.

_What's happening to him?_ asked Saphira, a tinge of worry in her voice.

Riku looked up at the dragon. "Whenever we face the Unversed, which are the monsters you were fighting, Sora normally gets a mild headache. However, it seems like this time it's bad- really bad."

Heavyn ignored them as she felt a barrier in Sora's mind. "Sora, let me in!" she said.

"It's… not me," Sora finally gasped out.

Eragon looked on empathetically during this exchange, then looked at Arya. "Back when Durza slashed my back right after the battle, I was in a great amount of pain due to his memories until Oromis shielded me from them. Do you know how to do a similar shielding spell?" he asked her.

Arya shook her head. "If I did, I would've done it back then."

Heavyn pushed again at the barrier, and briefly felt it fight back with a viciousness that she knew Sora didn't possess. "Oh, no…" she thought. This was bad. Sora was right- it wasn't him blocking her, it was someone who Heavyn had hoped not to deal with yet. She closed her eyes as she prepared to fight her way in, not wanting to use the X-blade for fear of potentially losing control of it.

Suddenly, another presence made itself known. The consciousness expanded outward, touching the minds of everyone gathered. Saphira snorted with surprise, while Eragon and Arya gasped. Heavyn's eyes shot open as she recognized it, for she had figured he wouldn't make an appearance yet due to the death of his Rider.

"Glaedr?" she breathed. Arya's eyes widened when her inhuman hearing heard the whisper.

_Relax. I heard everything you said earlier, so there's no need to explain who and what you are. Now, do not attempt to barge your way into his mind_ instructed the ancient dragon. _Instead, try to insinuate yourself in the cracks of the armor. Use what you know of our world to do this._

Heavyn nodded. _Can you help distract the one blocking me?_ she asked silently.

_I will._

She smiled briefly, then reached back out towards Sora's mind, imagining Glaedr at her side. Poking around the barrier, she finally found a chink large enough to shimmy her way through.

Her foe sensed this, and tried to force his will on her own. She gritted her teeth at the pain.

"I don't think so," she growled. Using all of her might, she steeled her mind against the intruder. The pain lessened as she felt Glaedr's presence helping.

_Good. Now do exactly as I say- we're going to use the same technique Oromis used on Eragon_ stated Glaedr, his voice gaining a note of sorrow at the mention of his lost Rider.

Heavyn nodded as together the two of them helped shield Sora from the pain. As they did this, Sora's breathing started to ease until finally he was breathing normally. Finally, he managed to unclench his hands from his head.

"Thank you, Heavyn," he said, his voice still a little shaky as he looked up at Heavyn.

Heavyn shook her head. "Don't thank me, thank Glaedr. Without his help, I don't think I would've been able to do it," she answered.

"And how do you know of Glaedr?" demanded Arya.

Heavyn turned her head calmly to meet the elf princess' gaze. "He and Oromis were prominent as Eragon and Saphira's teachers in the stories documented on my world. That's how I know about them without needing you or your mother's permission."

"Wait, was Glaedr that big… presence that I felt?" asked Kairi.

As Heavyn nodded, Riku asked, "Well, will someone tell me who Glaedr is, and why I can't seem to see him?"

Eragon and Saphira looked at Arya, who nodded. Saphira turned back towards the group.

_As Heavyn says, Glaedr is one of Eragon's and my teachers_ replied Saphira. _Before I hatched for Eragon, he was the last known free dragon._

"However, Oromis, who was his Rider, and his body were killed several weeks ago, and until now he had been grieving. I never thought he'd-" Eragon started to say, however he was interrupted by Sora.

"Wait… his body died? Then how was he able to help Heavyn? Is he a Nobody?" he asked.

Heavyn felt the urge to act like an anime character, and decided to submit to it. "Alagaësia lesson time!" she cried. As her friends turned to her, she swung her head over to Saphira and asked, "Can you please create a large flat surface to draw on?"

Saphira obliged by swiping her tail roughly across the ground, uprooting the grass.

"Thanks!" Grabbing a stick, she walked over to the newly-formed grassless plain. She quickly drew a stick figure with a heart.

"Okay, now, you're familiar with how everyone has a heart, body, and soul, right?" she asked. As her fellow Keyblade Wielders nodded, she continued, "Well, normally when a person loses their heart to darkness, they become a Heartless." Quickly turning to the other half of the group, she explained, "Heartless are similar monsters to the Unversed, which are, for lack of a more understandable term, are chaotic emotions given shape. Trust me when I tell you that you DON'T want to deal with them, for they will not hesitate to try and take your heart, thus turning you into one of them."

"Got it. How can we tell the difference between the two?" asked Eragon.

"I've found that the easiest way is to look at their eyes. If they're red, it's probably an Unversed. If they're yellow, more than likely it's a Heartless. Curiously enough, many Heartless and Unversed are vulnerable to magic, so if you have enough strength, go ahead and use magic against them. However, some species of both types ARE immune to magic, in which case just hack away with a sword or, in Saphira's case, tooth or claw. You'll have to test out which ones are immune by weak spells," answered Heavyn.

_Got it_ replied Saphira.

Heavyn nodded, then quickly brushed out the heart on her drawing and added several new designs, including a crude illustration of a dragon. "Now, when someone loses their heart, if they had a strong enough will their soul is given form as their body fades away, thus creating a Nobody. Similarly, if they lose their body, their heart and spirit move on to wherever hearts and souls go after they die. However, the dragons of Alagaësia have a unique ability: by transferring their souls into their crystallized hearts, which are called Elundarí, they then can survive the death of their body, and they don't become Nobodies," she finished, stepping back from her drawings. "Glaedr transferred his soul into his Elundarí several days before his body died."

_And that is how I'm able to speak with you four, even though my body is gone_ added Glaedr, seemingly amused by the Keyblade Wielder's reactions, but his voice still holding a note of sorrow. _However, if you'll forgive me, I still haven't recovered from the battle._ With that, his presence receded.

Heavyn nodded her understanding. "You don't even need to ask for our forgiveness, Glaedr. Take all the time you need to recover."

"Okaay…" said Sora, his head cocking with confusion.

"So, if Glaedr is in his, um, Elundarí thingy, then where is it?" asked Riku.

"THAT knowledge will remain unknown unless the Varden and the elves decide otherwise," replied Arya.

"The Varden?" asked Kairi.

"The name of the rebels that fight against King Galbatorix, who's the bad guy of this world," answered Heavyn.

Riku nodded. "Right."

"Well, Arya, Nasuada DID tell us to find out more about those monsters… maybe we should take them to see her," suggested Eragon.

Arya thought for a moment, then replied, "Let's contact her about what we've found, then let her make the final decision. If she wants to meet these Keyblade Wielders, then I see no objections."

Heavyn nodded. "If you need me to talk to Lady Nasuada, then I'd be happy to oblige," she offered.

Arya looked at her. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied. Turning to Eragon, she continued, "You'd better come, too. I'm sure Nasuada would like to hear your opinions on the matter."

Eragon hesitated for a moment.

Saphira nudged him gently with her snout. _Go. I'll keep an eye on them_ she reassured him.

Eragon looked at Saphira with a fond look in his eyes, then nodded. Together, he and Arya stepped away from the Keyblade Wielders to obviously have some privacy with Nasuada.

"Well, this might take awhile, so we might as well make ourselves comfortable," remarked Heavyn.

* * *

"Okay, my turn!" cried Heavyn, having just solved one of Riku's riddles. "No-legs lay on one-leg, two-legs sat near on three-legs, four-legs got some. What am I talking about?"

_Fish sitting on a little table, man at table sitting on a stool, the cat has the bones_ replied Saphira smugly after a moment of thinking.

"Right! It's your turn, Saphira!"

Instead of answering, Saphira turned her head. Looking over, the four Keyblade Wielders could see Arya and Eragon returning.

"So, what's the verdict?" asked Heavyn.

Eragon answered, "Nasuada wants to meet you, if you can manage to find where the Varden are camped."

"Easy enough- we can just follow you guys!" replied Sora.

"We got here by riding on Saphira. How can you follow us?" asked Arya.

Kairi laughed, "We can fly on our Keyblades!"

_This I have to see_ remarked Saphira. Moments later, the three residents of the world were shocked yet again as the Keyblade Wielders were perched on their respective gliders.

"Well? Are we going to go or what?" asked Riku cheekily.

Eragon laughed as he and Arya climbed into Saphira's saddle. Within moments, Saphira took off and turned towards the direction of the Varden.

* * *

"Hey, guys, I just realized something," came Kairi's voice through the X-blade's connection. The four of them had been following Saphira in a triangle formation for about five minutes prior to this.

"What is it, Kairi?" asked Sora.

"Well, have you noticed the difference between the X-blade talking in our minds, and Saphira and Glaedr talking in our minds?"

The others paused for a moment to absorb this.

"You're right! It's like if the dialogue was written down, Saphira and Glaedr's comments would be slanted while the X-blade's would be written like normal speech," remarked Heavyn.

"Huh… I wonder why that is?" wondered Riku.

"Hmm… maybe it's because while Saphira has other means of communication, like roaring and various pieces of body language, while I really don't," replied the X-blade.

"Wait, then what about Glaedr? Not having a body anymore means that he has no other means of communication too!" commented Sora.

"Maybe… it's because that's how he's used to talking?" suggested Heavyn.

"Argh, my head hurts just thinking about it!" whined Sora.

Heavyn laughed. "Then let's not think about it anymore and just accept it. Now listen up: I'm going to fill you guys in on what to expect when we reach the Varden."

* * *

A/N: Oh, and a cover pic has been made for this fanfic! Check it out in my favs on my deviantArt page (my user name's cmsully) under the collection titled Heavyn. It's the one drawn by tenchufreak.


	43. Chapter 38

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"Hey, Arya?" Heavyn called as she flew up to be level with the elf princess.

_Watch the wings_ warned Saphira.

"Yes?"

"Quick question: How do you think we should present ourselves to the Varden? After all, we DEFINITELY don't want to make the wrong impression."

Arya thought for a brief moment, then answered, "I believe that you should do whatever you think is best."

Heavyn nodded. "Thanks!" she cheerfully replied, then fell back to be with the others.

Arya and Eragon (who had witnessed the whole exchange) were a little worried at the mischievous smirk gracing her face as she did so.

* * *

The Varden gathered outside Feinster cheered as they watched their Rider approach. As the crowd created a space for Saphira to land, the leaders gathered at a safe distance, ready to greet the three who were returning. However, to the crowd's confusion, Saphira didn't immediately land, instead veering away and hovering, seemingly watching something. That something was revealed to be four people riding impossible contraptions as they descended first. Circling and twisting around each other in a show of ability, their flying machines suddenly turned into equally-strange weapons with a flash of light. The four promptly performed a spectacular flip onto the ground… where the one dressed in purple and black suddenly tripped and fell on her butt.

"Whoops! I derfed it!" cried Heavyn with a large grin as Saphira finally landed.

Her three friends couldn't respond to that comment, for they were laughing too hard.

Saphira turned to her with amusement in her eyes as Eragon and Arya got off of her back. _Was that intentional?_

"Nope!" Heavyn suddenly turned thoughtful as she stood up and mused aloud, "Although… I guess you could say that it proves that we're somewhat normal people, as well. Oh well, that's what I'll think of it as!"

"Hey, Heavyn, who are those people walking towards us?" asked the X-blade. As it asked this, Sora, Riku, and Kairi were finally able to stop laughing and look at who the X-blade was talking about.

"Hmm… the dark-skinned woman is definitely Lady Nasuada, Leader of the Varden, who's surrounded by some of her Nighthawks," Heavyn answered, looking over at the approaching group. "The man with glasses accompanying her is probably Orrin, King of Surda, while the tough-looking dude is probably Jörmundur, a member of Nasuada's council. The elf covered in fur is most likely Blödgharm and unless I miss my guess the final lady is Angela."

"Is this the same Angela that you told us will say really weird yet helpful things, is immensely powerful, and yet no one knows much about her?" asked Sora.

Eragon snorted as he heard Sora's question. "That's… quite the accurate summary," he commented.

Heavyn smirked. "She was one of my favorite people from the stories about Alagaësia," she answered.

Arya raised a brow at this. "Who else were your favorites?" she asked despite herself.

"Ah ah ah," Heavyn sing-songed as she waved a finger in admonishment, "You're not supposed to ask that! After all, if I were to answer it, then I would disappoint those who I didn't list!"

Eragon looked at Heavyn, then raised an eyebrow. "You sound like Angela when you say that."

"Who sounds like me?" asked said lady as the group of important figures finally arrived.

Arya looked over at the group, Nasuada in particular. "These are the Keyblade Wielders we told you about," she answered simply, nodding in greeting.

Nasuada looked surprised at this proclamation. "I wasn't aware that they could follow you in the air," she said simply.

"Well, we weren't able to tell them that until after they talked with you," explained Heavyn, stepping forward and bowing.

Sora, Riku, and Kairi also stepped forward and bowed. The four of them had decided on the way that since Heavyn was the one who knew the most about this world, she should be the one to negotiate with the leaders of their hopeful allies instead of either Sora or Riku.

Suddenly, Heavyn and Kairi started to sniff the air curiously. The boys watched with confusion as the two of them started to blush a deep crimson.

"Wow… the books weren't kidding about Blödgharm's scent…holy crap," Heavyn murmured.

"Wait, what do you mean his scent?" demanded Sora.

Saphira snorted with amusement at that, for she knew what was going on with the two girls. The crowd that had started to gather scattered, misinterpreting her snort of amusement with a snort of annoyance at the growing crowd.

"Can't you guys smell it?" asked Kairi, shifting a little uncomfortably.

"Actually, Kairi, they can't. His scent somehow only affects females," answered Heavyn for the two boys. She then quickly turned to the elf in question and asked, "I know this is probably EXTREMELY rude, but could you somehow tone down your scent? My hormones are on overdrive here, affecting my thinking capabilities… and it's a little embarrassing to be having this discussion in front of everyone."

"You know… you seem to be affected quite a bit by his scent," remarked the X-blade.

At that, the new arrivals stared down at the weapon clutched in Heavyn's hand. Seeing this, the four Keyblade Wielders mentally palmed their faces in anticipation of what was obviously going to happen next.

"The sword talks?" remarked Orrin, while his companions' jaws dropped open in shock.

"Oh, boy…" muttered Riku.

Heavyn counted down quietly, "3…2…1…"

"Okay, people being surprised by me is REALLY starting to get old!" complained the X-blade. "I mean, I know that a talking weapon is uncommon… but still!"

Heavyn laughed good-naturedly, her face going to its normal color as she did so. "Well, X-blade, maybe one day we'll come across a world where there are other talking weapons," she comforted.

"We'd better," was the X-blade's grumbled reply.

As Heavyn chuckled at this, Blödgharm finally answered, "While what you said was somewhat rude, I won't be offended due to the obvious truth in front of us that you four are nothing like what we're used to dealing with." Muttering a couple words in the ancient language, he then asked, "Is this better?"

Heavyn and Kairi took a deep breath.

"Much better. Thank you!" answered Kairi, her blush finally going down.

"Hey, Heavyn, what'd he say to make it better?" asked Sora, curious about the different language that sounded like the one Heavyn used with Arya, Eragon and Saphira.

Heavyn turned to him with an incredulous look on her face. "How the heck should I know?"

"Well… you ARE from the world that documents stories…"

"That doesn't mean that I know every single language of every world! While the books of Alagaësia _did_ have several words and phrases of the ancient language that's used for magic here, a large amount of the language is still unknown to me."

"Is this true?" asked Nasuada curiously.

Heavyn turned to her and nodded, "Yes, Lady Nasuada, it's true. Oh! I forgot to introduce us! My name is Heavyn, Wielder of the X-blade, and the weapon clutched in my hand is obviously the X-blade. These are my fellow Keyblade Wielders Sora, Riku, and Kairi."

"Wait, why is your Keyblade 'the' Keyblade," asked Jörmundur.

"Actually, Sora's Keyblade is the one that's known as 'the' Keyblade," answered Heavyn as she and the others dismissed their weapons. "I said X-blade."

"What's the difference?"

"Well…," Heavyn answered, kneeling down so that she could draw in the dirt again. As she wrote using one of her fingers, she explained, "This is how I at least spell Keyblade. See how it's all one word?" As the group nodded, she continued, "This is how my weapon's name is spelled- with the character χ instead of the word Key."

"What's the meaning behind the character?" asked Eragon, intrigued. At this, Sora, Riku, and Kairi paid close attention, for they had been curious as well. After all, no one had ever told them what it meant, and they had assumed Heavyn didn't know either.

Heavyn's eyebrows came together slightly while her eyes narrowed by a fraction, an expression that the Keyblade Wielders had come to recognize as Heavyn debating on what to reveal. Finally, she answered, "Well… there a couple of meanings behind that character, which by the way can be pronounced 'kye' instead of 'key'. The person who last tried to forge the X-blade claimed that it meant 'death', and it spelled endings. However… on my world, it is also used to represent a very important religious figure. So, I prefer to look at it as a character that means an ending, instead of death, since the religious figure generally isn't associated with death. Of course, it's somewhat poetic that I'm the one wielding it, considering my name."

"Wait, how is it poetic?" asked Riku.

"Well, let me ask you this- what do you call the place where good souls go when they die?"

"Heaven, spelled with an e instead of the y that's in your name," answered Riku, Kairi and Sora nodding their agreement with his answer.

"Exactly! Now, wouldn't you think that's like a new beginning once you have died?"

"Oh, I see what you mean! The X-blade's name could mean that it's a blade of endings, and your name means a new beginning!" Kairi exclaimed.

Heavyn grinned. "My point exactly!"

"That is extremely poetic. However, could we get back to the point at hand?" asked Nasuada politely, her tone indicating that she was getting a little tired of all the explanations.

Heavyn's grin turned into a sheepish smile. "Oops. Sorry…"

* * *

The group, after that interesting introduction, had re-grouped inside of Nasuada's tent, where they were joined by Solembum and Nar Garzhvog. After Heavyn had laughed at the Islanders' reaction to the Urgal and the Urgal's reaction to her (as her friends had stared at the Kull with shock, she herself had merely grinned and waved a hand in greeting, surprising Garzhvog immensely), she calmed herself down enough to explain their purpose. As she asked and answered questions (in the process learning that they were indeed beyond the third book, although not by much), she was surprised at how… _normal_ the whole group seemed, considering their circumstances. Her imagination had clearly went out of control when she had visualized these people while reading the Inheritance books. Granted, Garzhvog kind of fit her expectations… but still, she had expected much more grandeur from the leaders of the rebels, more clichés of rebel leaders instead of the reality- a group of people who obviously had a hard life trying to make their world a better place from a tyrant king.

As Heavyn voiced her request to have someone skilled in the mental arts teach her, Nasuada leaned forward and clasped her hands in thought.

"Well… while you have filled in many blanks for us, the fact of the matter remains is the question of how we can trust you," she finally said.

"What? After we told you about th-" Sora started to protest, but was interrupted by Heavyn.

"Sora! You have to remember that this world is VERY different from the worlds that you, Riku, and Kairi are familiar with!" she scolded. "In fact, you might want to get used to the fact that there are some worlds that won't automatically trust us in the beginning! After all, remember how King Triton didn't trust you at first when you went to Atlantica? Same principle here, except for the fact that until now they were ignorant of the Keyblades' existence," Turning to Nasuada, she offered, "Well… how about you have someone you completely trust probe my mind to sense our truths?"

"Why not have all four of your minds scanned?" demanded Jörmundur.

Heavyn sighed as she answered, "I could give you many answers to that question, however the one I'll pick is the fact that I learned their stories before I ever met them, and thus this way could kill four birds with one stone."

"That doesn't mean they're trustworthy," shot back the Varden commander.

Heavyn's eyes flashed. "I can assure you of their trustworthiness. They are for the most part exactly as they appear, which as you know is a rarity in many worlds," she snapped. "Plus, I know for a fact that each of them may have feelings behind certain experiences that they probably won't want bandied about, while I can show you those experiences from a third-party's point of view."

"Enough!" ordered Nasuada as Jörmundur looked ready to continue the argument. She turned to the Islanders as she asked with authority, "Is what Heavyn says true?"

Riku nodded. "It's true. Heavyn is definitely the best choice for this… reading of minds, or whatever."

Nasuada sat there silently for a moment. Finally, she decided, "Let me discuss this with Queen Islanzadí. She needs to be informed about these developments anyway, and her advice would be invaluable in this situation."

"Would you like us to be here when you contact her?" asked Kairi.

"No," replied the Varden leader. "While she may eventually wish to speak with you, I think it would be best if you four would be somewhere else when we discuss your situation."

Kairi nodded as she said, "Okay."

Heavyn looked at the dark-skinned woman as she asked, "Well… then do you mind giving us a task to do? I at least would start some major fretting if I was just sitting around waiting for your verdict."

Nasuada cocked her head in thought, and Heavyn was struck by the realization that for however much older the Varden leader seemed when she did her job, in reality she was younger than the four of them. For some reason, that thought both disturbed and calmed her.

"I guess the question becomes is do the four of have any useful skills that doesn't involve fighting?" asked Orrin.

Heavyn thought briefly, then came up with a solution. "Well… how about we help with the injured? After all, it's not like we can get into much trouble there."

"How much of the healing arts do you know?" asked the Surdan king.

"Both Riku and I know Curaga spells," chimed in Sora as Riku nodded in confirmation.

"I don't know much, but I can run and get things that healers need," offered Kairi.

"And I know advanced first aid," finished Heavyn.

"What's advanced first aid?" asked Jörmundur suspiciously, eyes narrowing at the unfamiliar term.

"Oh, right, um… I guess you can say that I can at least keep somebody stable until someone with more experience comes along. Like, I can help set broken bones and stuff, but don't count on me for surgery," Heavyn explained.

"Good! We need more people like that!" remarked Angela.

Nasuada nodded, then turned to Angela. "I know that you probably want to be here during the discussion… but would you mind if you escorted the four of them to the infirmary area, and then keep an eye on them while they're there?" she asked the herbalist.

Angela grinned as she answered, "As if I'd miss out on a golden opportunity like that! After all, I'm sure these four know lots of useful little things!"

The entire room chuckled at that, even Saphira. Eragon turned to Nasuada as he asked, "Would you like Saphira and I to accompany them as well?"

His liege lord shook her head as she replied, "No. I need you, Arya, and Saphira here to give your opinions to Queen Islanzadí on these matters, for I'm sure that they'll be greatly appreciated."

He nodded, "Understood."

"So, is there anything else you need us for?" asked Sora.

"Nope, that's about it for now. I'll send someone when we've reached a decision," answered Nasuada.

"Alright, then, that's our cue to leave!" Angela cheerfully said as she stood, Solembum standing up with her. Turning to the four Keyblade Wielders, she then asked, "Ready to go?"

The four of them stood as well as Sora answered, "Ready when you are!"

"Good! Let's go then!" As the six of them left the tent, those that stayed behind could hear Angela ask, "So, Heavyn, is the X-blade male or female?"

"…. You know, I don't know!" came the shocked response.

Saphira's twinkled with amusement. _Only Angela._

* * *

Several hours later found Kairi contemplating about Heavyn. When they had arrived at the infirmary area (after which they had found out that the X-blade leaned more towards the feminine side due to its connection to Heavyn's heart, although technically it was neither- THAT had been an interesting discussion in Kairi's opinion), Heavyn had taken one look at all of the injured soldiers and immediately rubbed her hands in anticipation. Kairi had thought nothing of it when Heavyn had then turned to her and asked for an extra hair tie (thankfully, she had managed to pack some that she had found lying around Yen Sid's Tower before they left- although strangely the room in which she found them was more masculine than feminine). However… it was when she was running errands for Heavyn that she noticed something odd. Whenever Heavyn's head bent down to take a closer look at someone, Kairi could see something green and pointy on the back of her neck. At first, she had thought it was just a trick of the light, but as the day went by the green pointy thing remained. Just before she was able to ask Heavyn about it, however, a messenger from Nasuada came requesting their presence. Arriving at Nasuada's tent, the leader of the Varden had informed them that as long as Heavyn's mind held no suspicious intent then the four of them would be welcome to stay with the Varden and their allies for as long as they needed to.

"I gotta warn you, though, Eragon," Heavyn had stated when it was revealed that Eragon was to be the one doing the search through her mind. "There is some stuff about my world that you should absolutely stay away from, for it could be disastrous for Alagaësia if the knowledge were to be leaked. If you start getting confused by what you see, then you definitely need to let me know somehow. The X-blade and I will help you to make sure that you don't go where you're not supposed to go, similar to how Saphira had helped you against the Twins."

"What knowledge about your world?" asked Arya.

Heavyn answered, "Basic knowledge about some weaponry that my world had developed in lieu of magic. While most of it is stuff that I learned in History class, and thus very limited beyond how it worked, it's definitely best that no one knows that weapons such as these can be conceived and brought to fruition."

"That's reasonable," remarked Nasuada. "I for one agree to your request."

Eragon nodded. "I'm going to go into your mind now," he warned, before suddenly his face became filled with concentration. The three Islanders had watched as occasionally Heavyn's face twitched.

"Wow… that actually looks kinda uncomfortable," remarked Sora as Heavyn's face twitched yet again, that time bringing a frown with it.

"Even though Eragon is definitely being gentle with her, the process of having someone go through your memories can be quite unpleasant for both parties," Arya had explained.

"Then why did she agree to do this if it's uncomfortable for everyone involved?" Riku had argued.

"Because, while it may be uncomfortable, it is also the best way to determine who is trustworthy," replied Nasuada. "Back when my father was still alive, we did this to everyone who had requested sanctuary with the Varden, including Eragon. Of course, it was later revealed that the two who did the searching for us were under Galbatorix's employ… but luckily, those despicable Twins are dead now."

"Wait, what? The ones who checked for trustworthiness were traitors themselves?" queried Kairi.

Nasuada's face gained a sad tone. "Yes… in fact, they were involved in the attack that killed my father, and made us lose…" her voice trailed off. Suddenly, she shook herself out of her reverie as she continued, "No matter. For a time, we had thought they too had died in that attack, but during the Battle of the Burning Plains they had revealed themselves to be alive. However, before they could do too much damage Eragon's cousin Roran managed to kill the two of them."

"Oh…" Kairi remembered saying, before suddenly Heavyn and Eragon returned to the world of the living.

"Heavyn! You okay?" asked Riku as he noticed that Heavyn seemed a little pale.

"I'm fine… although the books definitely understated how uncomfortable that process is," she replied.

Sora demanded, "Then why did you agree to do it?"

Kairi remembered how Heavyn looked steadily back at him as she answered, "Because I had to."

"Eragon? Can we trust them?" asked Orrin. Everyone in the room then turned to the Rider.

He nodded. "They are more than worthy of our trust," he had pronounced, surprising many in the room, including Heavyn. After all, while Eragon WAS more trusting than most, it was still very hard to earn it to the degree that he apparently had with Heavyn and her friends.

Nasuada nodded as Eragon and Saphira obviously started to silently converse. "Very well. In anticipation of this, I have managed to secure two tents for the four of you to use," she had announced.

As Nasuada, Heavyn, and several others had started talking details about what the four of them could expect, Kairi had let her mind wander back to the mark (as she had started to think of it) she had seen on Heavyn's neck. She didn't know what it was, but the more she thought about it, the more she became convinced that it had something to do with Heavyn's past, which Heavyn still kind of kept silent about. Although it was understandable due to the loss of her family… it made Kairi want to get to know her friend better.

"Kairi!" said friend suddenly exclaimed, bringing Kairi back to the present.

"Yeah?"

"Didn't you hear us earlier? We were dismissed, and I for one am POOPED after the events of today," Heavyn exclaimed.

Kairi giggled at that. "I am kind of tired myself," she replied.

"Good! Then let's not waste any time! Oh, and good news, since I'm guessing you didn't hear it earlier- Nasuada's sending some clothes for us to wear tomorrow so that we can finally do some laundry!"

"Yes!" Kairi exclaimed, punching her fist in the air. "While a quick dip in a nearby water source does the job okay, NOTHING beats a proper wash!"

Heavyn grinned. "Darn right! Come on, I'll lead the way. Oh, and here's your hair-tie back!"

Kairi took back the small band, then followed Heavyn through the maze of tents. As Heavyn explained that the two of them would be sharing a tent while the boys would be sharing the other, Kairi resolved to ask Heavyn about it when they got to the tent.

Finally, they arrived. Heavyn whistled slightly at the size, for she had been expecting something smaller. This tent, however, obviously held at least two separate sections in it, for which the two girls were grateful. That meant that one of them could wait in the front area while the other changed in the sleeping area, keeping at least some semblance of privacy.

"Hey, Heavyn?" asked Kairi as the two of them entered their tent."Hmm?"

"Earlier, when you were helping all of the healers... I noticed something green and pointy just underneath your neck."

"Huh? OH! You probably got a glimpse of my tattoo," replied Heavyn, realizing why Kairi was looking a little nervous. After all, she probably wasn't as exposed to tattoos as Heavyn was.

"You have a tattoo?"

Heavyn nodded, her eyes taking on a sad tone. "I got it on the four-month anniversary of the accident," she explained.

"What acci- oh..." Kairi trailed off, remembering Heavyn's explanation on how she stumbled upon their stories. She opened her mouth to apologize, but suddenly Heavyn continued to speak.

"You see, for the first couple of weeks, I had pretty much been numb from shock. In one day, I had lost what felt like everything. If you had met me then, you probably would've thought that I was a Nobody, showing no emotion at all. As I look back on those days, I can definitely tell that I wasn't really feeling anything." Heavyn smiled fondly as she remembered, "Mrs. Lemanski, my boss at the time, was a huge help... in fact, if it hadn't been for her, I don't think I could've dug myself out of the dark hole I had been in. She made sure to come pick me up and drop me off from work, and while she gave me some distance to grieve, she always made sure that all of my needs were met. Well, one day, she brought this book of poems with her, and started reading some of them to me out loud hoping that I might respond to some of them. While I can't remember most of the poems now, I do remember that a stanza from one of them struck me to the core. I think in that moment, I was finally able to accept the fact that my family was dead. As she continued to read to me, I sat there as I finally was able to feel all of the grief that had been bottled up due to shock. In the middle of her reading, I burst out into tears."

Kairi was shocked by this confession. She never thought that Heavyn would be so willing to open up like this.

"Eventually, I felt the need to go and make sure that what had happened to me in those early days never happened again. The best way that I could think of was to get a tattoo. So, I went onto my computer, and eventually came up with the rough idea of my tattoo design. Going to a tattoo parlor that Michael had always favored, the head artist and I were able to hammer out the fine details, and this is the result."

Heavyn suddenly lifted her shirt over her head, and moved her hair aside. Kairi stepped closer to take a look at the tattoo that fit perfectly between the straps of her bra. The first thing that stood out were four stars that were arranged in what Kairi fancied was a tower-like formation.

"The green star on top represents my dad, for he was the oldest and green was his favorite color," Heavyn started to explain. "The blue one represents my mom, the red one belongs to Michael, and the pink one's Angela."

"Let me guess- they're also in their favorite colors?"

"Yep! Now, you notice are there's a blank space in the middle between Michael and Angela's stars? That's for me, in the thinking that one day, I'll be able to join my family once again. Can you see the quote surrounding the stars?"

Kairi looked closer to see the tiny words that were scattered around the stars.

"_Though my soul may set in darkness/It will rise in perfect light/I have loved the stars too fondly/To be fearful of the night_," Kairi read. "So pretty! What does it mean?"

"That's the quote that had pretty much awoken me," Heavyn informed Kairi. "I chose to interpret the meaning as that no matter how hard things may get for me, as long as I keep my family close to my heart I'll always make it through. Of course, it didn't hurt that in many of the stories from my world, the stars were thought to be the souls of the dead watching over the living."

"Wow..." Kairi breathed.

Heavyn started to laugh as she pulled her shirt back down and faced Kairi. "I actually got this tattoo about two weeks before I had picked up Angela's Kingdom Hearts games. So, imagine my shock when the tattoo seemed to fit quite nicely with several aspects of the game!" she said with a large smile.

At this, Kairi was confused. "What do you mean?"

Heavyn to explain, but was cut off by a large yawn.

"Oops, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yawn in your face, but I guess I'm more tired than I thought" apologized Heavyn. "Can I take a rain check on the explanation?"

"I'm guessing you're asking me if the explanation can wait until after we get some sleep?" Kairi teased, by now used to Heavyn's odd phrases.

Heavyn grinned back, "And who says that people can't pick up others' slang?"

Kairi laughed at that. "Alright... you can tell me tomorrow. Let's go to bed!" she stated.

"Sounds good to me! Oh, and dibs on changing first!" said Heavyn as she darted into the tent's sleeping area.

"Hey! No fair!"

* * *

A/N: Well... holy crap. That is ONE LONG CHAPTER. Oh, and for those who were confused at the beginning of Kairi's POV, she was thinking back on the "Heavyn gets her mind probed" thing while Heavyn and the others are discussing details, that's why that section is in the past tense. Also, you can find Heavyn's tat on my devArt page (I'd post the link here, but is being dumb and not letting me post it...).


	44. Chapter 39

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

"_Heavyn! Heavyn, over here!"_

_ She turned to see a little raven-haired eight-year old girl running towards her. This girl was familiar, dear to her heart, and Heavyn never expected to see her again._

_ "A-Angela? Wha… How?" she stammered as Angela promptly glomped her._

_ "It's not just me!" exclaimed the little girl, her sapphire eyes gleaming. "Momma, Daddy, and Mike are here too!" Angela turned in Heavyn's arms and pointed. "See?"_

_ Heavyn looked up to see the rest of her family smiling at her. Her mother, whom she inherited her black hair and short stature from. Her father, whose quirky genetic background gave her the trademark violet eyes. Her brother, who was the only one of her siblings that inherited their father's brown hair and their mother's green eyes._

_ She gently let go of her little sister, then took an uncertain step towards the three other people who laid just as big of a claim to her heart._

_ "It's okay, Heavyn. We're here," said her mother gently._

_ Eyes filling with tears, Heavyn ran the rest of the way to her family._

_ "I can't believe it… you're here," she sobbed as her family hugged her._

_ "Why wouldn't we be here? After all, we needed to talk to you about something," replied her father._

_ Heavyn drew out of the hug as she looked at her father. "What is it?"_

_ "We want to know why you betrayed us."_

_ Shock coursed through her at her brother's statement. Turning to him, she said, "What do you mean?"_

_ "Remember what I told you when we first found out Mom was pregnant with Angela? Big siblings always watch over their younger siblings, and to make sure that they never get hurt. And yet, you let Angela get hurt!" he accused._

_ Her eyes widened. "I didn't… I didn't know it would happen!" she defended herself._

_ "You knew that we could've found Angela a decent baby-sitter to stay with, yet you let her go in your place!" shot back her brother, his green eyes slowly turning yellow._

_ Heavyn backed away from him, and turned to the rest of her family. Sure enough, their eyes were turning yellow as well._

_ "This is a dream… this is a dream," she started to chant, clutching her hands over her head. Crap, she thought she was done with these nightmares…_

_ Her sister looked at her with a mournful demonic gaze. "Why did you let me go?"_

_ "I didn't know! I'm so sorry!"_

_ "We trusted you to keep her safe… and you let her take your place!" accused her father, reaching towards her with clawed hands._

_ As she quickly backed away, she shrieked, "I didn't KNOW!"_

_ Suddenly, her mother laughed a cold, cruel laugh. "I guess our trust was misplaced… after all, you were willing to abandon your friend, so why should your little sister's life matter to you?"_

_ "I didn't abandon him! I only left him to fulfill the promise I made him!" she protested._

_ "Yet, when Kairi went through the portal, you could've come back for me," came a new voice, coming from behind her._

_ Heavyn froze as she heard him. Slowly turning, she saw the only person it could've belonged to._

_ "Repliku…"_

_ "Don't call me that like you were my friend!" he spat. As she reeled back, he continued, "I guess you really were like all the others… only claiming to be my friend just so that you could use me."_

_ "NO! It wasn't like that!"_

_ "Oh? Don't tell me it wasn't your intention all along to gain my trust just so that the X-blade could be forged!"_

"_I had no idea that the X-blade could've been forged from my heart! I just wanted to keep the promise I made to you! Please believe me!"_

"Heavyn!"

_ "Liar…"_

"Heavyn! You're having a nightmare!"

_ "Betrayer…"_

_ "I'm so sorry!"_

"Heavyn! Wake UP!"

_"I DIDN'T KNOW!"_

* * *

Heavyn awoke with a gasp. "Oh god… it was just a dream," she thought to herself as she covered her face with her right hand.

"Good! You're finally awake!" came the X-blade's voice in her head. "We tried so hard to wake you up, but you were pretty stuck in that nightmare of yours!"

Heavyn's hand left her face. "We?" she said softly, mindful of the sleeping Kairi.

"The X-blade was panicking when it couldn't wake you up, so I helped it out," came an unfamiliar voice from the direction of her sleeping friend.

As she spun to see who had slipped into their tent, Heavyn's eyes widened with shock.

"Naminé?" she said incredulously.

The slightly-glowing transparent blonde girl smiled as she nodded.

"It's good to finally meet you, Heavyn," she greeted Heavyn.

"Well… holy freakin' crap," answered Heavyn. "I admit, I wasn't expecting to ever meet you!"

Naminé giggled at that. "Well, I've been wanting to meet you for a while now, and I figured that now would be the best time to do so. Oh, and Kairi sleeps like a rock, so you don't need to keep your voice down."

Heavyn chuckled. "I think I should still keep it down to be mindful of the rest of the Varden," she replied. "So… you can still project yourself from Kairi, huh?"

The Nobody nodded. "I've been practicing, and I found that it's easiest to do it when Kairi's sleeping. Most of the time, I use it to go and experience Destiny Islands for myself."

"Oh? And what about the rest of the time?" Heavyn asked mischievously.

Naminé blushed slightly as she admitted, "Well… sometimes I go and visit Roxas."

"HA! I knew it!"

"Although…" Naminé added suddenly, looking a little sad, "the last couple of times I tried to visit him, he… wasn't acting like himself."

Heavyn cocked her head in inquiry. "What do you mean?"

"Well… he seemed rather frightened. When I tried to ask him what was going on with him, he refused to tell me. I think his quote was, 'I need to keep you safe from him,' when I finally got him to talk."

"Oh, poo-tastic," muttered Heavyn. Roxas' statement put one more notch towards her worst-case scenario theory being correct. She did NOT need _him_ waking up… the only way it could get worse would be if Xehanort got wind of it.

Naminé heard Heavyn's mutter. "Heavyn? Do you know what's going on?" she asked.

Sighing, Heavyn replied, "You know of the person who hid himself inside of Sora's heart way, WAY back, right?"

"You mean the boy that looks like Roxas? I came across a few of his memories during the time that Sora was asleep… why?"

"Well…if I'm guessing right, the 'him' that Roxas mentioned has a connection with that boy, whose name is Ventus in case you didn't know. And let me tell you, that guy is REALLY bad news, although Ventus himself is not," Heavyn explained.

Naminé looked thoughtful as she absorbed this news. "Is… is there anything I can do to help?" she finally asked.

Heavyn mulled it over in her mind. "Actually… there IS something you can do," she said slowly. "However, it may cause pain to Sora temporarily, so feel free to say no to this."

"What?"

"Well… you listened in when I briefed Yen Sid on how I gained the X-blade, right?" At Naminé's nod, Heavyn continued, "Well… Ventus' heart sleeping inside Sora is one of the many things I have to fix. However, I have a funny feeling that for as long as Sora is blocked from a part of himself, Ven won't wake up."

While it may be hard to pull off a look that's simultaneously confused and suspicious, Naminé managed to pull it off as she asked, "What do you mean?"

Heavyn looked down at her hands as she sighed briefly, then looked at Naminé. "If I'm to fix all of the wrongs that have been dealt, then everything needs to be remembered… including number fourteen," she explained steadily, hoping Naminé got her implication.

Naminé's eyes widened as she realized what Heavyn was asking. "You mean that you want me to re-arrange the chains of Sora's memory so that nothing is hidden anymore. To enable him to remember what I did to him at Castle Oblivion, and have everyone remember Xion."

Heavyn nodded. "I know that it'll probably be hard for you to even consider this, but… I see no other way to-"

"I'll do it."

Heavyn started with shock at Naminé's steady answer. "Really? Even though it may cause you pain when Sora starts to remember the events of Castle Oblivion before you were able to explain to him the situation?"

Naminé sighed as she answered, "I'm not really happy… but I've known this day would come. After all, unlike DiZ, I figured out that one day Sora WOULD need to remember everything. After all, I remember how it was before Organization XIII found me in Castle Oblivion. I had no memory of who I had been, and looking back on it now I can recognize that I was scared, even though I wasn't supposed to have feelings. To be honest… I think it was my fear that enabled me to realize my ability to change Sora's memories."

"That makes sense," Heavyn remarked. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Wait. You wandered around the castle a lot before the Organization found you, right?"

"I wandered a bit… I don't know how much of it I managed to discover, why?"

"Did you ever find a room that contained a sleeping boy in it?"

Startled by the question, Naminé answered slowly, "Nooo… I never did."

"Well, then did you ever come across a section of the castle that always seemed to discourage anyone from poking around in it?"

As Naminé shook her head no, Heavyn sighed in defeat. Well, there went one easy way of finding the Room of Awakening...

"Why did you ask?" queried Naminé curiously.

"Well… it's a definite that Ventus' body is in Castle Oblivion, inside a room that Xemnas called the Room of Awakening. Castle Oblivion was actually created when Aqua locked the Land of Departure around Ven, hoping to keep him safe. I had asked you those questions because I know that we'll have to visit Castle Oblivion before this is over, and it'd have been a huge help if you had figured out where the Room was," Heavyn answered.

Naminé looked sad as she apologized, "I'm sorry I can't help you… it seems like I can't—"

"Don't you DARE finish that sentence."

Now it was Naminé's turn to look shocked as Heavyn continued, "Whether you realize it or not, Naminé, you've helped SO many times it's not even funny. Sora NEEDED to forget what happened in Castle Oblivion, Xion NEEDED to be forgotten. What's more, BOTH parties agreed to let you do what you needed to do, so it wasn't like you forced them into it. So please, stop beating yourself up. You're a huge help to everyone, like it or not." As Naminé started to protest, Heavyn pulled out the trump card. "Besides, if you were such a terrible person, would you have as many fans as you do on my world?"

"Wait… I have fans?"

"Heck, yeah, you do! Shoot, you're actually one of the more popular characters of the series! You have so much fan-art dedicated to you that you could open a decent-sized museum. While you do have _some_ haters, though, I once read somewhere that if you have haters you MUST be doing something right."

Naminé giggled as Heavyn finished her cheering-up speech. "You know, I'm really glad now that I've met you," she remarked.

"Same here!" Heavyn replied as she grinned. Suddenly, she perked up as she asked, "Hey, do you have the connection to the X-blade since Kairi agreed?"

"Yes and no," answered the X-blade for her, appearing for the first time throughout this conversation. "While I can contact her if I need to, like I did when I first noticed you were having that nightmare, but she can only contact me if Kairi initiates the contact."

"So… it's kinda similar to what Saphira does to everyone but Eragon, huh?"

"I guess you could say that," responded the X-blade after a brief moment.

"Then the final question becomes is can she give you permission separate from Kairi?"

Naminé jolted with surprise at Heavyn's final question. "Wait, you mean you want _me_ to connect with the X-blade?"

"Well, why not? After all, there may be some stuff that, while no one else knows them, you may know about. Plus, it'd be fun talking to you whenever we wanted!" answered Heavyn. Looking back down at the X-blade, she pressed, "So, can she?"

"She can," confirmed the X-blade.

Heavyn smiled as she glanced at Naminé. "Well, then, Naminé, would you like to connect with the X-blade?"

Naminé's answering smile was brilliant as she replied, "I give permission for the X-blade to access my mind."

"Alrighty!" remarked the X-blade as it glowed briefly. When the glow faded, it suddenly remarked, "Heavyn, shouldn't you be heading back to sleep? We have a big day tomorrow, what with learning to use this world's skill and such."

The girls laughed at how much the X-blade sounded like a mother hen.

"Now, Naminé, don't ever hesitate to contact me about anything, okay?" requested Heavyn as they stopped laughing.

Naminé nodded once as she answered, "I won't." As she started to fade back into Kairi, she said, "Good night, Heavyn!"

As Heavyn laid back down, she replied, "Good night, Naminé! Sweet dreams!" Closing her eyes, she soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: What? You didn't think I forgot about Naminé, didja? Anyhoo, yeah, short but eventful chappy here! Reviews are lovely, as always... oh, and just because I may not respond does NOT mean that I don't appreciate it!


	45. Chapter 40

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, although Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Over the course of the next week, Heavyn learned how to use her mind to its utmost potential while also learning some valuable tips on swordplay and even some of this world's magic (which had some rather _interesting_ results… like the time when she accidentally turned herself into a blonde. She _still_ had no idea on how she did that… and luckily Arya knew how to fix it). Eragon, Arya, and some of the other elves took turns teaching her what she needed to learn whenever one of them could be spared from their duties. Sora, Riku, and Kairi also learned from the elves on how to block their minds from potential invaders thanks to Heavyn's suggestion.

"After all," she had commented, "it can't hurt!"

As the four of them met (and in some cases fought alongside) some notable names from the series, however, Heavyn noticed an oddity. She had expected young Elva to come and see the new arrivals for herself, yet surprisingly the child that Heavyn really wanted to meet was nowhere to be found. After considering the idea of tracking her down, Heavyn eventually decided to not search for the girl herself and instead dedicate herself to her training. The more she trained, after all, the faster she could master the world's ability and be one step closer to rescuing Repliku from Xehanort's grasp.

One day, however, as she was heading over to the area where she normally trained, she was intercepted by one of Nasuada's messengers with a request that she see Nasuada as soon as she was available. Shrugging, she said she was available and followed him to Nasuada's tent, where after she was announced she was requested to come inside.

"You wanted to see me, Lady Nasuada?" she asked, sitting down in one of the chairs scattered around the Varden leader's tent.

Sitting down as well, Nasuada replied, "Yes, I did. I admit, though, I hadn't expected you to come so quickly."

Heavyn smiled as she commented, "Well, I was actually on my way to train when your messenger boy intercepted me. However, I know that your time is valuable, so I decided to come over as quickly as I could."

Nasuada chuckled lightly as she commented, "Well, I'm glad to hear that you hold me in such regard." Her face suddenly turned serious as she continued, "However, it's your training that I wanted to talk to you about."

Heavyn became confused. "What do you mean?"

Nasuada leaned back in her chair as she explained, "When you four came to us, we agreed to the terms you had laid upon us, namely that the four of you would be free to pursue your enemies, even if that meant that you had to leave this world before our battles were over."

"That's right," Heavyn replied. "However, what does that have to do with my training?"

"I'm going to be blunt here- I need you to give Eragon and elves a break. They'll all need to be at their full strength for the upcoming siege in case the four of you leave before then, and they can't do that if they're constantly training with you. And since I know Eragon won't say anything… I'm asking you to do it for him."

Heavyn was stunned and slightly angered by this, for she had felt that if she had been as big of a burden as Nasuada was implying, then Eragon, Saphira, Arya and the others would've told her so. However, she could see Nasuada's point, and she knew that Nasuada only had their best interests in mind. "How long do you think I give them to recuperate, then?" she asked, not wanting to cause conflict.

Slightly relieved, Nasuada answered, "I'd say about a couple days, or when one of them comes up to you."

"Alright then," Heavyn nodded. "Was there anything else you needed from me?"

"That was all for now."

Standing up, Heavyn gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for speaking with me about this matter," she said, then exited the tent. Once outside, she used the X-blade to connect to her three friends.

"What is it?" asked Riku once they were all connected.

"Nasuada just spoke with me asking me to give Eragon and the others a break from teaching us," Heavyn replied.

Kairi's voice inquired, "What was her reasoning?"

"She wanted to make sure that they were all on top of their game for the upcoming siege."

"So… what now then?" Sora asked.

Heavyn shrugged as she replied, "I guess… that unless there's a Heartless or Unversed sighting, then it's a freebie day."

"Got it!" came the voices of her three friends.

"Sweet! Now I can go and accept Nar Garzhvog's offer to learn some of their ways!" Sora exclaimed.

Heavyn and Kairi were mildly alarmed at this. "Uh, Riku…?"

Huffing, Riku replied, "I'll make sure he doesn't kill himself."

"Thanks!"

* * *

"Hmm… what should I do now?" muttered Heavyn. Half of the day had passed, and she had already taken out two groups of Unversed and visited Katrina (whom she had become friends with). Now, however, Katrina had wanted some alone time with Roran before he left on another mission, and Heavyn wisely didn't stick around. Kairi and the others were nowhere to be found, and Heavyn was starting to feel bored.

Suddenly, she came across a tent that had a familiar creature dozing in front of it.

"Hey, Solembum!" she greeted.

The were-cat opened one eye. _Oh. It's you,_ he remarked. _Didn't you realize I was sleeping?_

Heavyn rubbed the back of her neck as she replied, "Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. Anyway, do you know where Angela is?"

"I'm right here!" answered Angela cheerily, coming out of the tent. "Did you need anything?"

Heavyn shook her head no as she answered, "Nasuada asked me not to train with Eragon and the others for the next couple of days, so now I'm just trying to find something to pass the time, that's all."

_So, you spend it by waking others from their naps?_

"I told you I was sorry, Solembum! I thought you were merely sunning," protested Heavyn.

Angela looked mildly surprised by this exchange. "So, Solembum speaks to you?"

"Only today," Heavyn replied honestly. "Normally when I talk to him, he ignores me. I'm pleasantly surprised that he deigned to speak with me now, even if it's only to criticize me."

Closing his eye again, Solembum commented, _Well, that's what happens when you wake someone. Still… you could be worse._

Angela cocked her head towards him at this remark. Heavyn suddenly picked up the signs of a silent conversation on her face, and wondered what the two companions could be talking about.

"Hopefully, it's nothing too bad," she thought.

The X-blade scoffed, and commented silently, "I just can't believe that you'd allow him to treat you like that! I sure wouldn't."

"X-blade, there's something you need to learn- Solembum is a cat. Therefore, he automatically considers himself better than humans, and the only reason why he interacts with us pathetic humans is because he WANTS to."

Snorting, the X-blade wisely remained silent.

"Hmmm… Heavyn, would you mind coming with me?" Angela suddenly asked, looking away from the were-cat.

Shrugging, Heavyn answered, "Okay." Following her into the tent, Heavyn glanced around curiously. Sure enough, it seemed to be similar to what the books had described with plants and odd bits and ends scattered around.

Gesturing Heavyn to sit down on a stump in front of a table, Angela went over to a set of drawers and started to scrounge around in them. Watching her, Heavyn suddenly felt a case of déjà vu kicking in.

"Is she about to… no, she couldn't be," she thought, recalling a similar scenario happening in the first book.

"About to what?" asked the X-blade.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she answered.

"Try me!"

Heavyn was saved from having to answer the X-blade by Angela's triumphant exclamation of, "Found them!" Turning around, she clutched a leather pouch in her hands. Heavyn's jaw almost dropped.

"Angela…"

"Hmm?"

"Those aren't… what I _think_ they are, are they?"

A wicked glimmer appeared in the wise woman's eyes as she answered, "Depends on what you think they are."

Heavyn took a deep breath, before she uttered, "Are they… the dragon knucklebones you once used with Eragon to read his future?"

As Angela nodded, Heavyn imagined her head exploding. "Why would you offer this to _me_, of all people? I mean, I know that ordinarily you don't make this offer unless Solembum decides to speak with the person, but still! I'm not of this world!"

"It doesn't matter where you come from," Angela replied as she grabbed and then laid down a thick cloth. "I'm positive that they'll still work. So…" she then looked into Heavyn's eyes, "would you like to know your future?"

Heavyn remained silent, her head glancing down at her clenched hands as she contemplated the huge decision she had before her. Should she risk saying yes, and potentially find that she may not succeed in her quest? Or say no, and always wonder what would've happened if she said yes?

"X-blade? I can't make this decision alone," she pleaded silently. "What should I do?"

Remaining silent for several long moments, the X-blade finally answered, "I vote yes. After all, on other worlds you knew what was going to happen, and you took steps in order to make sure that it happened. I don't see how this is any different."

"But, X-blade… what if they reveal that we won't succeed in preventing chaos from happening? This isn't a hokey 'Well, knowing what may potentially happen will allow us to change it' kind of telling. It's a _true_ telling- what the bones reveal IS what's going to happen!"

"Wasn't it the same way on the worlds whose stories you knew?"

Heavyn was stunned by the X-blade's answer. After several minutes of contemplating its logic, she finally responded, "I guess you're right. You know, you're really wise when it comes to the important things!"

"That's because I'm the X-blade!"

Heavyn chuckled, "Okay, okay, now don't get too cocky." Looking back at Angela, she said aloud, "Go ahead and cast the bones."

The herbalist gave her a small smile before her face turned grave. Performing the same actions that Heavyn vaguely recalled from the first book, she suddenly exclaimed powerfully, "_Manin! Wyrda! Hügin!_"

As the bones landed on the cloth, the hair on the back of Heavyn's neck stood up. In that moment, Heavyn knew that the bones _had_ worked… and her future was scattered on the table before her.

Angela studied the bones for several long minutes, then leaned back as she sighed, "_Barzûl_! Well, your future's even more impossible to read than Eragon's!"

"Well… to be honest, that doesn't really surprise me," replied Heavyn, moving to get up. She stopped, however, when Angela raised a hand.

"That _doesn't_ mean that I haven't been able to wrestle some meaning from it." As Heavyn settled back down on her stump, Angela pointed to a bone that had a picture of a tree on it, she continued, "I'll start with this one- the elm. It means that while you will constantly fight for it, you will live a normal span of years." Her face saddened as she moved to a trio of bones whose symbols Heavyn didn't recognize except for the lightning bolt. "I wish that these hadn't appeared…"

"What do they mean?"

"They're telling me one thing- you will be betrayed."

Heavyn's eyes widened as she stuttered, "W-w-what?"

"A betrayal will happen to you, child… however, this is telling me that the betrayer will be forced into it," she explained, moving her hands over each respective bone. "This bone, in particular, explains that it will most likely come from a friend of yours that you haven't seen in while."

Heavyn almost burst into tears at the news. There was only one person she could think of who fit that bill.

"Heavyn…" consoled the X-blade, sensing her distress.

Closing her eyes, Heavyn calmed herself. "I'm okay, X-blade. Still, that was hard to hear."

"However, to counteract that, there's this bone here," Angela continued, moving her hand over to a bone that carried the picture of a rose inside of a keyhole. "This is the first time I've seen it come up in anyone's future. It's telling me that you will have a love so strong it will break all barriers."

Heavyn cocked an eyebrow in interest. "Really?"

"Really. However, the only thing it'll tell me about your future love's identity is that the two of you have already met." Angela then moved to some symbols that Heavyn recognized from what she read about Eragon's future. "Over here is the wandering path and the sailing ship. The wandering path signifies that you will have many choices to make in the future, including some that will be coming soon. The way that it's resting upon the sailing ship tells me that some of those choices will mean that you will have to leave Alagaësia."

"Well, no surprise there- I mean, I _am_ the X-blade Wielder," Heavyn commented.

Angela chuckled at that. "Yes, however you must always be aware of who you are and why you agreed to accept your role. If you forget your responsibilities even once, the outcome _will_ be disastrous."

Nodding, Heavyn answered, "Got it."

Moving her hand over to another set of bones, Angela frowned. "Now, what these bones are telling me is the most surprising of all. I've only read about these… yet due to the laws of magic here, I never expected them to appear," she commented.

Curious, Heavyn leaned forward to see that the symbols included a door, and a set of wings. "What do those mean?"

"If I'm reading these correctly, you will be contacted by those who have died, including some that were very dear to you when they were alive."

Heavyn's jaw dropped. That was certainly unexpected.

"Do you think she's talking about your family?" asked the X-blade.

"I dunno, X-blade," answered Heavyn honestly. "If she's right about this, then it's certainly a distinct possibility. I mean, I've already been contacted by Master Eraqus." Aloud, she commented, "Wait, I have a question- if the laws of magic here prevent you from being contacted by the dead, then why is the possibility of these bones appearing documented?"

Angela shrugged. "Who knows? I've sometimes wondered that myself. Although, maybe if the lost word for the ancient language is found, then maybe we'll be able to experience what these bones mean for ourselves."

Heavyn had to concede the point on that regard. "Is there anything else that you can tell from these bones?"

Shaking her head no, the herbalist replied, "Nope. I'm lucky that I was able to read that much!"

Standing up, Heavyn bowed slightly to Angela as she said, "Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my future."

"What? Leaving so soon?"

Chuckling, Heavyn replied, "Unfortunately, while I'd love to stay and chat… I have a lot to think about, now."

"Well, that's understandable," Angela observed. "However, don't stay away for _too_ long! After all, I still have many questions I'd like to ask of you!"

Laughing, Heavyn said as she walked out of the tent, "Alright, I won't!" Once she was several feet away, however, she sobered as she started to think over what she had just learned… especially when it came to the betrayal.

"The only person I can think of that would fit the bill perfectly would be Repliku… but if that's true, then what could've happened to him?" she thought.

"Hey, it may not be him," comforted the X-blade, "it could be someone else from your past!"

Scoffing, Heavyn answered, "I appreciate your efforts, X-blade, yet I highly doubt it could be anyone else. Still… I won't give up hope that it isn't him."

Spotting a hill, Heavyn decided to climb it so that she could look over the entire encampment while she sorted her thoughts. As she reached the top and sat down, she let her mind wander back to the last revelation that the herbalist had made. The X-blade had a valid point when it guessed that some of those who may contact her might be her family. However, the nightmare that Naminé had awoken her from kept replaying in her mind. Would her family have similar sentiments towards what had happened?

"I wouldn't worry about it," came a small child's voice from behind her.

Heavyn gasped with shock. She hadn't felt anyone coming up behind her! Turning around, she relaxed when she saw the person she had been anxious to meet.

"Hello, Elva," she greeted.

The young girl nodded as she replied, "Greetings, Heavyn."

Gesturing for Elva to sit next to her, Heavyn inquired, "So, what finally brought you to come meet me? I've been wanting to meet with you ever since I came to the Varden's camp!"

Elva remained silent for a few moments as she sat down. When she finally turned to look at Heavyn, the older girl was amazed to see that they did indeed have the exact same eye color. "I felt your pain from the moment you arrived in the camp," the girl answered, not elaborating more than that.

"Ah." Heavyn looked back over the camp as she continued, "I'm sorry that you have to feel my pain. Know that if there was anything I could do, I would make sure that I was the only one who felt it."

"That's not true, Heavyn," remarked the X-blade, suddenly appearing.

"What do you mean?"

The X-blade answered, "Well, even if no one else felt your pain, I'd still know of it!"

"Oh, yeah."

Elva smiled a small smile, then turned serious as she said, "There's something that I've been wondering about. I've watched you walk around the camp so normally. How can you survive with all of that pain inside of you?"

Looking over at Elva, Heavyn couldn't help but think that Elva was asking her for advice. "Well… let me tell you, it wasn't easy at first. I'd say what enabled me to function was the strong support system that's grown around me."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… after my family passed away, it was my boss who helped me recover from the slump I had been in. However, I still was somewhat careless with my actions due to wanting to be with my family again. Then, I met Repliku, whom my ultimate enemy had been pursuing. He had a rough past, one which I was very aware of, and I offered to become his friend. Then, as I was showing him my family's grave, our enemy came and threatened to overrun my world if Repliku refused to go with him.

"After Repliku agreed to save my world, I followed them, and after confronting our enemy with the knowledge that I knew of him to distract him enough for my friend to get away, he threw me into the same dungeon as Kairi. Kairi eventually broke us out, and thanks to the events that happened next I was able to gain the X-blade. Then, I finally met Sora and Riku, and then throughout our travels I became friends with so many other people. It's thanks to them now that I don't want to re-join my family just yet." Heavyn smiled softly as she told her story.

"Repliku… he's the friend you had to leave behind, wasn't he?" Elva asked, recalling the rush of images that had rushed through her brain during the Keyblade Wielder's first night here.

Heavyn nodded sadly. "He had stayed behind to fight Xehanort to give Kairi and I time to escape. However…" she said, looking up towards the sky, "I wish that I knew if he was okay or not."

Although slightly unused to offering genuine comfort to people since the day Eragon had rescinded part of her curse, Elva tried anyway. "Well… I think that you shouldn't worry." As soon as the words left her mouth, an expression that irresistibly reminded Heavyn of her puberty years whenever she thought she had said something stupid crossed the girl's face.

"Thanks, Elva. That actually helps," Heavyn reassured the girl. Studying her, Heavyn could suddenly see more similarities between herself and Elva. In fact, if it wasn't for the silver star upon her brow, Elva could pass as a younger version of herself. Her mind then traveled to what she knew of Elva's life. Suddenly, she made a decision.

"Elva… would you like to connect with the X-blade?"

Elva started at her offer. "Why?"

"You… remind me a little of myself, somehow. Plus, I have a funny feeling that even when I and the others leave Alagaësia, we'll see each other again," Heavyn answered honestly. As soon as she said the second sentence, she instantly knew why in the deepest regions of her heart: Elva had the potential to wield a Keyblade of her own someday.

"And I wouldn't mind connecting with you!" added the X-blade, portraying its agreement with Heavyn's feeling through their shared bond.

Several long minutes stretched as Elva obviously considered her offer. Finally, Elva asked, "What would happen if I said yes?"

"You'd be able to contact Heavyn and I no matter where we are, and we could also contact you," answered the X-blade.

The young girl nodded, as if the answer was one she'd expected. "Then, I give permission for the X-blade to access my mind."

Heavyn beamed as the X-blade glowed. As the glow faded, however, suddenly she heard a huge explosion.

"Heavyn! There's a large group of Unversed attacking the north edge of the camp! We need you, badly!" came Kairi's voice suddenly.

Heavyn stood up and quickly turned to apologize to Elva. However, Elva beat her to the punch.

"You don't have to apologize, I understand. Now, go!"

Smiling, Heavyn nodded her thanks. Turning the X-blade into the glider, she quickly flew off to help her friends.

* * *

"Heavyn!" shouted Sora as he destroyed numerous Floods, "What took you so long?"

As she landed, Heavyn called back, "Sorry, Sora! I was taking care of some of the aerial Unversed that I came across!"

"Well, at least you're here now. Should we do our normal attacks?" asked Kairi as she parried blows from a Bruiser.

"Can't hurt!" Riku answered, finishing off his own group of Unversed with several Dark Aura attacks.

Heavyn suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Wait! Let me try something first!" Running over to the strongest member of their group, she asked, "Riku, can you give me a boost up?"

Nodding, Riku dismissed his Keyblade and formed a cradle with his hands. Placing one foot inside, Heavyn braced herself.

"Here you GO!" Riku shouted as he threw her up in the air.

"Holy Crap!" Heavyn shouted in response. She didn't realize he was THAT strong! Shaking her head to clear it, she quickly aimed the X-blade at the Unversed below. "Meteor Shower!"

As small orbs of light suddenly erupted from the tip of the X-blade, Heavyn cried out in triumph. The episode with Frollo wasn't a fluke- she _could_ perform a Shotlock!

"Heavyn, you are _so_ teaching me that move!" shouted Kairi as she watched the Unversed around her be defeated. Sora and Riku merely gazed in awe at the attack. What Unversed remained after that attack were definitely severely weakened.

As she landed, Heavyn laughed, "Gladly… _after_ we finish off the Unversed!" Diving back into the fray, it only took about thirty seconds for the rest of the Unversed to be defeated.

"Now that they're gone… where did you _learn_ that move?" asked Sora, quickly shrugging off the brief headache.

"Back on Notre—" Heavyn started to reply, however suddenly the four of them heard clapping.

"Well… when Mister Master sent me here to investigate your progress, I admit I didn't expect _that_," came a man's voice.

Spinning, Heavyn's eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Braig!" she snarled.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap... it's an update! Sorry it took so long, the beginning of the chapter gave me a hard time. Reviews are appreciated!


	46. Chapter 41

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

The former Nobody grinned at her snarl as he rested one of his two guns on his shoulder and the other by his hip. "Heh, Ms. Know-It-All truly lives up to her title," he remarked.

Surprising everyone, Heavyn burst out into laughter at that.

"Uh, Heavyn… you okay?" asked a very confused Sora. Next to him, Riku and Kairi only stared incredulously at their seemingly crazy friend.

When her laughter subsided, Heavyn finally replied, "I'm fine, Sora. I just didn't think that Braig would be such an epic fail at coming up with a nickname for me!"

Braig's lone eye twitched as he commented, "Me? An epic fail? As if!"

Smoothly ignoring Braig, Heavyn continued, "I mean, he had a _great_ nickname for Axel, so I figured that he'd at least come up with a decent nickname for me based on what Losernort probably told him. But Ms. Know-It-All? A five-year-old could've come up with that one!"

"What was Axel's nickname?" asked Kairi, an amused eyebrow raised at Heavyn's behavior towards Braig.

"Flamesilocks."

Sora snorted with laughter.

"HEY! I'm talking over here!"

Turning back to Braig with raised eyebrows, Heavyn taunted, "Oh, I'm sorry. I generally don't listen to idiots who don't take their own advice, especially when it comes to messing with Keyblade Wielders. However, for you I'll make an exception." She then smiled and blinked innocently as Riku joined in Sora's laughter.

Braig looked at her in slight disbelief. "So, you even know about that flippant comment I made oh-so many years ago, huh?" he asked.

As her smile turned into a smirk, Heavyn replied, "Of course I do." Turning serious, she then asked, "I _do _have a question for you, though."

"What do you want to know?" he replied, bringing his guns slack against his body as if he wasn't planning on using them. However, the gleam in his eye made Heavyn suspicious. Recalling her lessons with Eragon and the others, she slowly brushed her mind with his and kept it there, making sure that he wouldn't be able to detect her.

"Why are you still working for that stank pile of rotten skunk poo anyway? I mean, he's pretty much had you destroyed, what, three times? I mean, first you were turned into a Heartless and a Nobody, then your Heartless was obviously destroyed, and then Sora killed your Nobody! So, why do you continue to stay by his side when it's obvious that he doesn't give a flying rat's butt about you?" she queried, genuinely curious about this point. Of course, it didn't hurt that her words had the potential to lay seeds of doubt in his mind…

"You really want to know?" he responded, smirking. Suddenly, he brought his guns up and fired a shot as he continued, "Then force it from me!"

Thankful that she had snuck into his mind, Heavyn quickly somersaulted away from the bullet. Looking up back at Braig, she narrowed her eyes as she snapped, "That wasn't very nice!" Straightening, she quickly fired a Blizzard back at him (which was quickly dodged) as she added, "And you're on!"

Sora, Riku, and Kairi rushed forward to help their friend, only to be blocked by a sudden barrier that sprung up around the two combatants. However, they weren't left to stand-by and watch, for the first Heartless to appear on Alagaësia promptly sprung up from the ground.

"Aw, man! I was hoping they wouldn't _ever_ show up!" groaned Sora as he and the others prepared for battle.

Her eyes shooting briefly towards her friends, Heavyn remarked as she focused back on Braig, "So, you seek to separate me from my friends, huh? And you just _had_ to bring the Heartless here, didn't you?"

"Well, since you were so kind as to open the door for us, we just_ had _to invite ourselves in," he replied, smirking as he readied both guns for battle. "Although, I have to commend you for dodging my bullet like that."

Smirking right back, she jeered as she rushed towards him, "Thanks!"

* * *

_Saphira, can you see what's happening down there? _asked Eragon as the two of them flew over where they sensed the Keyblade Wielders' presences. Normally, when the Keyblade Wielders were fighting their enemies the four of them requested that Eragon and the others stay out of the skirmishes. However, when they had felt Heavyn's flare with shock, the two of them had taken it upon themselves to investigate why.

The dragon promptly started to circle around the area as she peered through the slight dust cloud. _Eragon… Heavyn's been separated from the others, and she's fighting a stranger!_ she finally exclaimed. _Sora, Riku, and Kairi are also fighting a large number of enemies!_

Eragon's eyes widened with shock and he checked to see if Brisingr was attached to his hip. Reassured by its presence, he turned back towards the battle-cloud as he said, _What are we waiting for? Let's go help them!_

Saphira roared her agreement with this plan.

* * *

The three Islanders looked up to see Saphira and her Rider diving towards them.

"Everyone, scatter!" shouted Riku as he watched Saphira open her maw in a telling way. As the three of them dodged, blue fire erupted from her mouth and onto the battlefield. Everyone who saw this cheered as dozens of the Heartless were destroyed by this one simple attack.

"Awesome job, Saphira!" cried out Sora as she landed and Eragon hopped off of her back.

_Thanks,_ she replied, eyes twinkling.

Eragon, meanwhile, studied the remaining Heartless with a slight frown. "These aren't the Unversed, are they?" he asked, noticing the yellow eyes.

Kairi shook her head as she batted away a Shadow that had tried sneaking up on her. "No. These are the Heartless that Heavyn told you about back when we first arrived," she replied.

Eragon turned back towards the Heartless. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he inquired, "Are any of these Heartless immune to magic?"

"Uh…" replied Sora as he glanced over the remaining Heartless. There were many different types left, but none that Sora recognized as being immune to magic. In fact… "Actually, many of these Heartless are quite vulnerable to magic!"

Grinning, Eragon exclaimed, "Excellent!" Raising his sword into a battle stance, he then shouted, "_Brisingr_!"

As the sword erupted into flames, Riku raised an impressed eyebrow. "Since when could your sword do that?"

"Since it was first named," Eragon answered honestly. Then, before any more questions about his sword could be asked, he then dived into the fray.

As she stomped on several Shadows, Saphira looked over towards the barrier that separated Heavyn from the others. _Should we try to break down the barrier?_

"If there was a way to break that kind of barrier, Saphira, then we'd have already done it," answered Riku. "That barrier can't even be breached by a Keyblade." Looking briefly at the barrier himself, he tightened his hand around his Keyblade as he finished, "We just have to hope that she can win."

* * *

"I think you're getting slow in your old age!" commented Heavyn as she managed to cut Braig on his left arm. The battle between the two seemed to be evenly matched… however Heavyn could sense in Braig's mind that he wasn't giving this battle his all. In addition, Heavyn could feel herself tiring, and the wound that he had managed to inflict on her hip was paining her more than she wanted to admit.

Braig teleported a short distance away as soon as she pulled the X-blade back. Narrowing his eye, he remarked, "You know, I _was_ planning on saving this trick for when I battled the old coot's future body… however you've proved to be one tough babe!"

Heavyn's right eye twitched as she shot back, "Did you _really_ just call me a 'babe', you wannabe pirate?"

In answer, Braig started to swirl with darkness as he brought both of his guns together to create a larger one. Heavyn prepared herself for the worst… yet she was surprised by what happened next.

"Heavyn… it hurts!" came the pain-filled cry of the X-blade inside of her head.

Heavyn glanced down to see it swirling with darkness. "X-blade, what's happening?" she asked silently.

"He's unconsciously trying to control me… please, make it stop!"

Nodding, she replied, "Got it! However, you have to tell me why his darkness is hurting you when I'm done!"

"I will! Now, hurry!"

Quickly stabbing the X-blade into the ground, she reached deep into her magic reserves. Rushing forward, she focused on Braig's arms as she barked, "_Jierda_!"

While the intended effect of breaking his arms failed, she _was _able to destroy his gun. Shocked, Braig looked up to see Heavyn's fist flying at his face.

"Dang, I missed!" Heavyn growled as he teleported to the opposite side of the battlefield.

"Heh, I guess the X-blade does have a weakness…" Braig commented as he noticed the last of the darkness dissipating from the X-blade. Shrugging, he continued, "Well, I think I've done what I needed to do here. And to think, I was even going to tell you how your Replica friend was doing…"

Heavyn narrowed her eyes. "What did you guys do to Repliku?" she snarled.

Smirking, he retorted, "We're taking care of him… which is more than you did when you abandoned him!"

"You son of a—" she roared as she ran towards him, grabbing the X-blade as she passed it.

"Ta ta!" he said, waving as a dark portal swallowed him.

As the last swirls of darkness started to fade, Heavyn looked towards the sky as she screamed, "GET BACK HERE, YOU ASSHOLE!"

* * *

As Heavyn's scream faded, the five fighters stared at the slowly dissipating barrier. The few remaining Heartless had retreated a bit, and were also staring at the barrier, as if they were following somebody's orders. Ignoring them (but never forgetting they were there), the three Keyblade Wielders' eyes were wide with shock- they had never heard Heavyn scream like that.

When the barrier finally faded, they could see that Heavyn's head was bowed and the hand that wasn't clutching the X-blade was clenched into a tight fist. Her eyes were closed tightly, and she was baring her teeth as if she was in pain.

Kairi was the first to break the silence. Tentatively, she took a step forward and inquired, "Heavyn? Are you… okay?"

"No, Kairi, I am _not OKAY_!" came Heavyn's answer, her voice growing louder with each word until she was almost screaming with the effort. Suddenly, she raised the X-blade and started to throw it at the Heartless as if they were the ones to cause harm to her. As it came back, she roared, "I am a good… " throw, "for…" catch, "fucking _nothing_…" throw, "BITCH!" Catching it again, she almost sobbed, "If all I can do is abandon people… then why the _hell_ do I even bother getting close to others?"

"Heavyn, calm down!" pleaded Sora, freaked out by Heavyn's behavior.

"NO! I CAN'T fucking calm down, Sora!" she shrieked. As she threw her weapon once more, suddenly it erupted into flames as it destroyed the last of the Heartless. When it came back, Heavyn instantly threw it in the air and slammed her hand down on her armor amulet. Hopping onto her glider fully clad in armor, she then sped away.

Riku moved to follow her, however he was stopped by Saphira saying, _Let her go._

"Why?" he demanded.

_She needs to be alone right now, _she answered simply as she turned her head towards him. Her large sapphire eyes took on a sad tone as she said this.

Riku frowned, obviously not liking the explanation. Eragon, noticing this, decided to prevent any future arguments by suggesting, "We should go back and report what happened here."

Nodding their reluctant agreement, the three Islanders followed the Rider and dragon back to the Varden's camp.

* * *

"So… you're telling me that Heavyn just left after quote, 'blowing up'?" asked Nasuada. The five of them (even Saphira, who was poking her head in through the door) had just finished recounting what had happened to her, and needless to say the expression on her face grew a little more sour as the report went on. As Kairi nodded, the Varden leader's eyes narrowed in displeasure. Luckily, she had been the only one in the tent when the five had come to deliver the news, so Orrin and the others had no idea that the one who had earned their trust had deserted. Continuing, she inquired, "Do you know what could've caused her to do this?"

Sighing, Sora answered, "She had been facing someone close to our enemy, a man I once knew as Xigbar but she knew as Braig."

"Wait, how could he be known by two separate names?"

"Xigbar was Braig's Nobody," answered Riku.

Nasuada was confused by this term, but a knowing glance from Eragon stopped any inquiries about it. "Okay, so Xigbar was this guy's, erm, Nobody. Anyway, what makes you think he had anything to do with it?"

Kairi looked towards the floor as she answered, "Well… before he separated her from the rest of us, she was her normal self, taunting him like she makes fun of all of her enemies. However, when the barrier fell, he was nowhere to be seen, and she looked like she was in extreme pain… and not from physical injuries." Looking back at the dark-skinned woman, she continued, "Just by that alone, I can guess that he definitely had something to do with what had happened."

Nasuada leaned back in her chair as her expression turned thoughtful. "Is there any reason to believe that this Braig would ally himself with Galbatorix?"

Riku crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he considered this. "It's a distinct possibility… however, something tells me that he won't. Braig works for Xehanort, and Xehanort is nothing if not crafty. Allying with Galbatorix, while it may be helpful for a bit, would be too much of a hassle in the long run to deal with, especially if Galbatorix starts making demands. No doubt, Braig was here simply to evaluate how strong Heavyn had become."

_Why would he want to know how strong she is?_ asked Saphira.

"Because of the X-blade," answered Kairi, looking towards the majestic dragon. "Xehanort had wanted it originally, and from what Heavyn had told us he had been hoping to use a friend of hers and mine in order to create it. However, she had managed to forge it instead by protecting me from a Heartless. Now, I can only guess that he wants to find a weakness of hers in order to steal the X-blade." Kairi's eyes widened as she realized something. "Braig must've said something about Repliku!" she exclaimed.

"What do you mean? Who's Repliku?" asked Eragon.

"Repliku was a friend she had to abandon in order to keep a promise he forced her to make," came a new voice.

The entire group turned to see a little girl walking into the tent. As Eragon and Saphira widened their eyes in surprise but nodded their greetings, Riku, Sora, and Kairi were shocked by how much the girl looked like their missing friend.

"Elva! This is a surprise," commented Nasuada. "What brings you here?"

Kairi, however, narrowed her eyes suspiciously, for Elva had revealed something that wasn't generally known. "How did you know that Heavyn was forced to abandon Repliku?" she demanded.

"I could feel it the moment you four arrived," Elva answered simply, looking towards the Princess of Heart.

"How?"

"Elva, if you'll permit me I'll explain," interrupted Eragon.

As Elva nodded her consent, the Rider then proceeded to explain Elva's special abilities and how she received them. Kairi instantly felt guilty as she heard, and once he had finished, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Elva. I… honestly don't know what came over me."

Turning towards her, Elva shrugged answered, "I'm used to it." Turning back towards the rest of the group, she continued, "I came to tell you what I felt from Heavyn before she left."

Riku's eyebrows raised in surprise as he inquired, "Why would you do such a thing? If I had been in your position, I wouldn't have anything to do with this."

Elva remained silent for a moment as she considered his question. "I guess… it's because Heavyn might be the one person who truly understands how hard it is to live with pain that would overwhelm a normal person," she finally answered. "However, that's also part of what probably happened."

Sora, confused, asked, "Uh… could you explain?"

Looking at him, Elva elaborated, "I've had to deal with this pain for most of my life. Honestly, I don't think I can remember a moment where I didn't have to deal with it. Heavyn, however, hasn't had that same experience. Most of her pain came recently, and she's still struggling to learn how to deal with it. What I felt from her corresponds with this. Before she moved out of my range, I felt guilt, anger, sadness... and the desire to not let any of you see her break down."

Silence reigned in the tent after this revelation. Kairi was the one to finally break it by murmuring, "So Heavyn didn't really abandon us."

"That may be, Kairi, however what Heavyn did was reckless," commented Nasuada. "By running off like that, she potentially endangered the entire camp." As Sora started to protest, she quickly raised a hand to silence him as she continued, "I won't rescind our agreement… however, I _will_ be having a few choice words with her. Is that understood?"

Seeing no other way, the three Islanders said in unison, "Yes, Lady Nasuada."

"Good. Now, it's getting late, so you're all dismissed. I suggest that you get some rest," ordered the young leader. "I'm sure that when she gets back, Heavyn will need your support."

* * *

A/N: Yeah... I think this chapter explains itself. Oh, and I apologize for any OOC-ness that may have occurred


	47. Chapter 42

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance series, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

**Warning: Spoilers for 'Inheritance' down below.**

* * *

Heavyn didn't know how long she had been flying, or where she was flying to. All that her mind could process was the utter guilt of leaving Repliku to his fate. It was the accident all over again… if she hadn't switched places with her little sister, then maybe…

"Heavyn?" came a voice. When she didn't show any signs of hearing it, it sighed, then… "HEAVYN!"

The shout snapping out of her reverie, Heavyn shook her armored head and replied with an intelligent, "Huh?"

"_Finally_!" exclaimed the X-blade. "Do you realize how long it took for you to realize that I was trying to get your attention?"

"Uh… no?"

Suddenly, Heavyn felt the glider descending as the X-blade growled, "Well, we need to talk, and not while we're in mid-air."

Jaw dropping underneath her helmet, Heavyn was shocked at how angry the X-blade sounded. She gulped nervously, for she had no idea what to expect from an angry X-blade. Distracting herself, Heavyn watched as they broke through the clouds and gasped at what they revealed. A large island with extremely large ruins lay just below them.

"Is that… what I think it is?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know, however keep your armor on. The air isn't the best," replied the X-blade tersely.

"Got it," she acknowledged quietly as they flew ever closer. As they flew closer, Heavyn could see that the ruins were of such an enormous size… as if they were built for dragons. "It has to be…" she breathed with awe in her voice, "We're at Vroengard!"

The X-blade remained silent as it continued to descend towards the ancient home of the Riders. Taking advantage of Heavyn's distraction, as soon as they were close enough it flipped upside down without warning. Unprepared for this, Heavyn promptly dropped like a boulder to the ground.

"OW! What the heck is _wrong_ with you, X-blade?" demanded a confused Heavyn.

Flying back towards her, the X-blade retorted, "What's wrong with me? Don't you mean what's wrong with YOU? There was NO REASON for the way you acted towards Sora and the others!"

"X-blade, I—"

"No, I'm not done! I get the fact that you're torn up about Braig's revelation towards Repliku, and I get the fact that you were still torn up by what Angela revealed to us. However, you're my wielder! You're supposed to CONTROL yourself! Do you realize what could happen if you can't control yourself? We could be KILLED, and _then_ where would the worlds be, huh?" As it ranted, the X-blade remained in its glider form and flew back in forth in an imitation of pacing. "Why do you think we have such an intimate connection, huh? It's to make sure that this kind of situation doesn't HAPPEN!"

Heavyn was shocked by the sheer _hurt_ she was sensing from the angry weapon. She picked up on why- the X-blade was upset by her not confiding exactly what was wrong. Doing the only thing she could do at this point, she remained silent as it continued to rant… and rant… and rant some more.

"X-blade, I'm sorry for not confiding in you the full reason behind my actions," she said when the ranting finally died down. "I never meant to hurt you."

As it hovered, she could feel the X-blade considering the sincerity of her apology. "Fine… just don't do this again," came the grudging acceptance, transforming back into its bladed form.

Although it could not be seen, Heavyn was smiling underneath her helmet. Knowing what she had to do, she suddenly and silently showed the X-blade the worst day of her life… and its wide-reaching effect. Needless to say, the X-blade was shocked.

"No wonder Elva sought you out for help…" it mused.

Nodding, Heavyn added, "And do you see now why I acted the way I did?"

"I do. However, next time, will you promise to let me help you instead of blocking me out?"

"I promise."

Heavyn, glad that she and the weapon of her heart were in sync once more, glanced around curiously. "So… while we're here, do you want to check out the ancestral home of the Dragon Riders?"

* * *

"Ugh… and I thought snails were disgusting when they were small, slow, and harmless," grumbled Heavyn as she finished off yet another giant snail that was oddly fast… and definitely carnivorous. "Why didn't Christopher Paolini write about _these_ buggers earlier in the series?"

"What do you mean?" asked the X-blade, curious.

"Well, remember in the beginning I had asked Nasuada about how far her campaign has gone?" At the X-blade's acknowledgement, Heavyn continued, "Basically, I had asked those questions to determine where in the story we are at the current moment. Turns out, we're _after_ the latest published book… which means that I'm as clueless as everyone else as to what happens next."

"Oh… so, we could potentially be in the next book, if there is one?"

"Probably not… after all, Keyblades and their wielders aren't found anywhere outside of the video-games. In addition, the fourth and final book was going to be published soon, which means that he's finished chronicling it sometime before we arrived. Now, if Christopher Paolini and Squeenix—"

"Heavyn, go back a couple of steps!" came the sudden interruption.

Looking back down, Heavyn queried, "Why?"

"I saw a Keyhole!"

"What, you serious?" Immediately backtracking, Heavyn looked around. "Where'd you see it?"

"Look at the base of the huge spire-like rock, and walk towards it."

Quickly following the instructions, Heavyn was surprised to see that what the X-blade had said was true. As she got closer, a shining Keyhole appeared. Stopping in front of it, she studied the rock.

"Hey, I wonder if this is the Rock of Kuthain…" she wondered aloud.

"The Rock of what?"

Without looking back down, Heavyn explained, "The Rock of Kuthain. When Eragon first met Angela and Solembum, Solembum relayed two pieces of advice to him: firstly, if he was in need of a weapon he needed to look amongst the roots of the Menoa tree, and secondly if he was in dire need of strength he needed to go to the Rock of Kuthain to open the Vault of Souls."

"Vault of Souls? What's that?"

"No one knows… although if _this_ is indeed the Rock of Kuthain, then we could always find out…" Heavyn trailed off as she debated the pros and cons of finding out what lay beyond the Keyhole. Feeling impulsive, she glanced down at her partner as she asked, "Wanna go for it?"

"Sure!" came the X-blade's excited response.

Pointing the X-blade at the shining Keyhole, Heavyn could barely contain her excitement as the Keyhole was unlocked. When the opening was revealed, she wasted no time in walking through.

* * *

Eragon leaned against Saphira's bulk as he watched the three Keyblade Wielders sparring with a hint of worry in his eyes. Ever since Heavyn had flown off yesterday, the three of them had unsuccessfully tried to hide how worried they were for their missing friend. He knew that Riku, at least, had tried contacting her several times… all ending in failure.

_Saphira, should we go looking for her?_ he asked.

Shaking her large head, the dragon responded, _I don't think so. If Heavyn wants to be found, she'll find a way to let us know. Looking down at her Rider, she continued, Just like with Glaedr, we can't push this issue. We can only be there to support her when she finally decides to come back._

_But will she want to come back?_ Eragon asked worriedly.

Saphira snorted. _From what I've learned about her, the only way she's not coming back is if she's dead… and I can't think of anything here that could. Well, except maybe Galbatorix… but even then, he'd want to recruit her, first._

_True… which brings to mind, what would she say to him if the two of them met?_

_Knowing her… probably something insultingly true._

Snorting with amusement, Eragon could only agree. After all, he'd experienced her taunts himself during training. Calming himself, he finally thought, _I wonder where she is right now…_

* * *

"Sheesh… I wonder how far down we are?" Heavyn wondered aloud as she continued to walk down the descending tunnel. It was a good thing that when she entered this place she had no intention of chickening out, for as soon as she walked through the doorway it had closed behind her. While at first she panicked due to the lack of light, the X-blade soon solved that problem by glowing softly. When asked about the phenomenon, it revealed that, rather than channeling Light into an attack, it was simply coursing it through its bladed form.

"I don't know… but we definitely _are_ pretty far down," answered the X-blade.

Looking down, Heavyn asked, "By the way, what _was_ the deal with you being in pain when Braig was calling on his darkness? You never did explain."

"Well… I had hoped that it would never come up, but Braig had inadvertently discovered my weakness while attempting to access the darkness within you- if someone tries to control you, they end up controlling me instead. However, it causes me great pain when it happens," replied the X-blade glumly.

"Really?" remarked a shocked Heavyn.

"Really."

"Hmm... well, it's a good thing I found out about this now. After all, if Xehanort finds out then we're in BIG trouble." Walking in comfortable silence for a few moments, Heavyn suddenly got a brilliant idea. "Hey, X-blade, do you think you could learn to block your mind as well? Maybe that will help against you being controlled!"

Mulling over her suggestion, the X-blade responded slowly, "It could work… I'll try it when we get back to the others."

Suddenly, both of their attentions were drawn by a dull glow ahead of them. Communicating their shared surprise and curiosity silently, the X-blade dulled its own glow. As Heavyn walked closer and closer, the two of them could see a large black arch surrounding the glow. With all of the glyphs carved on it, it looked like it was covered in thorns… which reminded Heavyn of the black witch who was so fond of the prickly plant.

"Remind me, X-blade, to ask the King and Master Yen Sid about Maleficent," she requested.

"Will do!"

Not hesitating once, she stepped through the archway. Looking around, Heavyn noticed that they had arrived into a circular room.

"Heavyn, look out!" cried the X-blade.

* * *

A/N: Oh my... it's an actual update! Now, for some news... once again, I'm going back up to Mackinac Island this year, however I did purchase an internet card so the only difference you guys will notice is that I'll have less time to write. Oh, and today (April 19th) is Heavyn's b-day, so that's why I posted it today instead of yesterday.


	48. Chapter 43

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance series, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

**WARNING:** MAJOR spoilers for 'Inheritance' up ahead. You have been warned...

* * *

"What the heck is _THAT_?" Heavyn thought to the X-blade as she barely managed to block the iridescent sword (which looked a LOT like Brisingr, only it was the same shade of purple that was on her armor) that had come at her from behind.

The being who wielded said iridescent sword looked… to put it bluntly, like the lovechild of the Silver Surfer and a robot dragon. When Heavyn had pictured what the Vault of Souls looked like, the giant creature was definitely NOT amongst her mental images…

Before the X-blade could give Heavyn an answer, however, suddenly _both _of their minds were assaulted by an unknown force. Heavyn vainly tried to block it, but her efforts were thrown to the side as if they were nothing more than cotton candy left out in the rain. As every single memory of hers was dissected, Heavyn could feel the X-blade struggling as well… which made her almost start to panic, for that meant that the force was _formidable_… even more so than Braig and Xehanort.

Suddenly, as quickly as the attack had come it ended. Heavyn, despite the danger, couldn't help but slump on all fours as her mind was finally released.

_Welcome, Heavyn Lee, Wielder of the X-blade, and welcome X-blade to the Vault of Souls_, came a voice suddenly. _Although we were not expecting you, nonetheless this is a pleasant surprise. _ As the voice spoke, the metal dragon man moved away from the armored girl, obviously deciding not to attack anymore (although the sword remained at the ready).

Glancing up, Heavyn's confused frown remained hidden by her helmet. Her confusion was multiplied as she took in the sight of the Vault of Souls itself… followed instantly by utter shock and astonishment.

"No freaking WAY!"

* * *

The three Islanders stiffened upon feeling the utter shock coursing through them.

Turning towards the other two, Sora asked, "Did you guys feel that?"

As Riku simply nodded, Kairi answered, "Yeah… do you think it came from Heavyn?"

"Had to have been…" Sora trailed off, thinking about what could've happened to their friend. If she had been shocked enough for it to travel through the bond of the X-blade, it had to have been serious.

"Do you think we should tell Eragon and Nasuada?" tentatively inquired Kairi.

Crossing his arms, Riku replied, "I think we should. Even if it turns out to be nothing, it's still smarter to warn them."

"Yeah," agreed Sora with a nod.

Together, the trio rushed to inform the two leaders of the Varden what they knew.

* * *

Murtagh scowled fiercely as he and Thorn flew away as fast as they could from Galbatorix's keep. For several minutes, he let his rage at what just happened fill him. Soon enough, however, he forced himself with practiced ease to let his anger fade away. As it faded, it was soon replaced by hopelessness.

_If only there was a way for us to pass information on to the Varden without him knowing thanks to those accused oaths, then we could be free,_ he thought sadly to himself, not for the first time. _Better yet, if someone would just finally kill the old bastard. As much as I wish it could be us… I'd just be happy to be freed from him._

Thorn, sensing his thoughts, sent his own agreement through their bond. After all, he had been a prisoner to that egg-breaker since he himself had been in the egg. It was his greatest wish for him and the partner-of-his-heart to finally experience the freedom that dragons were supposed to embody…

However, the longer time went on, the more likely it became that the two of them would never experience that elusive goal… especially with the latest news that Galbatorix shared with them.

If what the King said was true… then soon all of Alagaësia would fall permanently to the madness of the honorless Rider.

* * *

Heavyn stared at her surroundings, amazed beyond belief at what she was seeing. As her hold on the X-blade weakened, she could feel its astonishment as well.

While the large pit in the center of the room that glowed with an intensity that Heavyn suspected was due to molten lava was impressive enough on its own (not to mention the throne on the far side of the room that obviously belonged to the being that had attacked her when she first walked in), it was what was on the opposite wall that held her attention.

The wall was decorated with alcoves that contained what could only have been the Elundarí of dozens upon dozens of dragons… however, that was more believable then what lay in _front _of the wall.

For there, sitting on two tiers that were styled much like stadium seats, sat items that Heavyn would never have guessed still existed beyond the one Galbatorix still had in his possession.

The jewel-toned ovoid objects sitting there could only be one thing- dragon eggs.

Heavyn promptly sat on her butt in utter disbelief, her armor clinking as she did so.

Sensing that the shock was overwhelming its wielder, the X-blade spoke up and demanded, "Who are you? What's going on?"

A distinct sense of amusement was felt as the voice which greeted them answered, _I am Umaroth, partner of Vrael, leader of the Riders, and I speak for all of the free Elundarí contained here._ As Heavyn looked towards the metal dragon man, Umaroth laughed as he corrected, _No, that's not I. He is Cuaroc, Hunter of the N__ï__dhwal and Bane of the Urgals._ Drawing their attention to an alcove where a white Elundarí sat, he directed, _I am over here._

Finally standing, Heavyn dazedly walked towards the large white crystal.

"How…?" she started to ask, but trailed off as she stumbled over how to phrase her utter amazement at this turn of events.

Luckily, Umaroth seemed to know what questions were coursing through the poor girl's head, and proceeded to explain. _When the true extent of Galbatorix's treachery was revealed, Vrael, along with Oromis—_

"Wait, _Oromis_? He knew about this place?" interrupted Heavyn incredulously.

_He, along with Glaedr, helped create this place… however, we had placed several enchantments in order to protect the last dragon eggs from Galbatorix: until he is defeated, the memories of anyone who knows of the Vault of Souls or the Rock of Kuthain will be temporarily erased._

If she hadn't been wearing her armor, anyone who cared to look would've seen Heavyn's eyebrows shoot up to previously unknown heights. "That… actually explains a lot," she commented, thinking about Arya and Oromis' comments about how the name 'Rock of Kuthain' was so teasingly familiar.

_Indeed it does_, Umaroth agreed. As Heavyn and the X-blade listened with awe, the ancient dragon then proceeded to explain how the wisest of the Riders, dragons, and elves came together in order to protect the last of the eggs and free Elundarí to ensure that the race of dragons would survive Galbatorix's madness.

"Wow… so, all this time you guys have been stuck here, hoping for someone to finally kill Galbatorix?" the X-blade finally queried when Umaroth finished his tale.

_Yes_, came the answer, with the first tinge of sadness that the girl and weapon from another world could hear. It was poignant enough that it resonated with the two, for his separation from Vrael had obviously saddened Umaroth deeply. For the first time Heavyn wondered if she would feel the same if for any reason the X-blade was to be torn from her. Somehow, she suspected that she would, if not worse. After all, while dragons and their Riders were connected at the heart, they were still two separate beings, born to separate mothers and fathers. The X-blade, on the other hand, was much more intimately connected to her. Truly, they were one.

"How terrible it must've been for you guys…" she said aloud. "Was there any way that you guys could help hurry things along? I'm pretty sure that if I was in your position I'd be doing everything I can to find a way to defeat Galbatorix."

_Actually, many decades ago we started to use the skeins of magic strewn throughout Alagaësia and our own formidable strength to hurry things along_, the ancient dragon commented. _More often than not, it was through a hint here, a nudge there… sometimes, we were felt, but more often than not we went unnoticed by the very beings we helped. It was through this way that we gave the were-cats the message that they would have to pass to the first free Rider that appeared in Alagaësia._

"You mean Eragon!"

_That's right, X-blade. It was also we who directed Arya's magic to ensure that Saphira's egg would find its way to Eragon rather than to Brom. We had hoped that the two would be compatible, and to our great pleasure our hope was fruitful._

Heavyn, upon hearing this revelation, had only one thing to say. "Holy crap! That was _you guys_? I thought it was just a matter of chance that Saphira was sent to the son, rather than the father!"

"Heavyn, he _just_ said it was him and the others," quipped the X-blade good-naturedly (at least for the most part- although it now understood the _reason_ behind Heavyn's earlier actions, that doesn't mean that it _approved_ of said actions).

Looking down at her weapon, Heavyn rebutted, "Jeez, X-blade, can't even let me have my moment of shock, can you?" However, she accurately guessed that the X-blade was taking revenge in its own way for her blow-up after the encounter with Braig, so she made sure to keep it good-natured.

_In fact_, Umaroth continued, tacitly waiting until the two had finished sniping at each other, _we have helped Eragon many times. Unfortunately, though, we can only help so much. It is up to Eragon and Saphira to finally find their way to us in order to fully gain our strength._

The ancient dragon's audience was outwardly silent as he finished. Silently, however, the two were discussing about what he had just revealed.

"Heavyn… do you think that we should tell Eragon and Saphira about what's here?"

"I dunno, X-blade… I mean, the message Solembum gave Eragon was very clear in the fact that it was only if they were in need of strength that they should seek this place out."

"But—"

"Plus, we don't even know if the enchantments that protect this place will allow us to keep our memories intact!"

"You remember Xion, when no one else but Naminé does."

"True…"

"So, maybe then we'll be able to keep our memories!"

Heavyn sighed at she considered the X-blade's point. "How about if we remember this place, we simply tell Eragon and Saphira where it is? This way, they can still grow as much as they need to, and they'll have one less burden on their shoulders." Before the X-blade could argue, she asked aloud, "Umaroth, do you think it would be possible for the X-blade and I to retain our memories of this place, considering that neither of us are from Alagaësia?"

It was silent for several moments, then… _I do not know. I would think that you would still be affected by the spells that protect this place, however it is entirely possible that the two of you would remember more than if someone from Alagaësia came to this place._

"Do you think that we would remember enough to send Eragon and Saphira here?" inquired the X-blade.

_Possibly, however if you do we ask that you tell them to bring Glaedr, as well. After all, he deserves to regain the memories that he willingly gave up._

Heavyn smiled as she commented, "It never crossed my mind to consider otherwise! I think Glaedr, above all others, deserves to come back to this place… especially with the loss of Oromis."

As the X-blade agreed with her statement, suddenly Heavyn felt someone using the mental connection of the X-blade. Concentrating on it, she was surprised to feel that it was King Mickey rather than Sora, Riku, or Kairi. Even more surprising: he wasn't trying to contact her.

"Sorry, Umaroth, but I have to check on something," she apologized quickly. Silently, she asked the X-blade, "X-blade, I feel the King using the connection you gave him. Can you tell me more?"

"That's a first… lately, it's been Riku trying to contact you," it replied.

Heavyn was stunned by this revelation. "Wait, Riku's been trying to contact me?"

"Yep. Whenever he did, it was obvious that he was worried about you."

"Huh… I guess I'll have to get in touch with him to let him know I'm okay," Heavyn mused. "However, that can wait. I'm more interested about what the King's doing."

Curious as well, the X-blade quickly analyzed the finer aspects of the connection. "He's contacting Master Yen Sid," came the report.

"Hmm… he's probably reporting on what he's found out about Xehanort," guessed Heavyn.

"Do you want me to connect you so that you can hear it, too? I _can_ make it so that neither of them can feel you listening in," offered the X-blade.

Head cocking to the side briefly, Heavyn decided, "No, I trust them. If it's serious enough, I'm sure they'll let me and the others know about it." Straightening her head, she turned her attention back to the Elundarí as she said aloud, "Sorry about that. Someone unexpected was using the connection that the X-blade can grant, and I wanted to know some of the finer aspects of it."

_It's quite alright_, came Umaroth's voice. _Is it anything troublesome?_

Shaking her head, Heavyn replied, "Not at the moment. So far, it seems like just a report about what King Mickey may have found in our enemy Xehanort's lair."

_Is this King Mickey that giant talking mouse from your memories?_

"That's the one!" chirped the X-blade as Heavyn giggled at the way Umaroth had asked the question. She supposed that to a dragon, a talking mouse that was half the size of a human _would _be pretty weird.

_Ah, I see._

Heavyn's giggles faded slowly as she frowned slightly underneath her helmet. She and the X-blade had spent quite some time down here, not to mention the flight over to Vroengard, and in all that time Sora, Riku, and Kairi had no idea what had happened to her.

"Umaroth?"

_Yes, Heavyn?_

"As much as I'd like to stay here and speak some more with you and the others, I think it's time for the X-blade and I to be heading back," she stated regretfully. "When we left, I wasn't exactly of sound mind, so my friends have no idea on whether or not I'm even okay."

She could almost feel Umaroth nodding as he replied, _I understand. Just remember that if you do manage to keep any memories of this place once you pass through the Gate of Vergathos, tell Eragon, Saphira, and Glaedr to only search us out when they have need of strength._

"We will!" reassured the X-blade as Heavyn walked towards the great arch that she assumed was the Gate of Vergathos.

Turning around just before the gate, Heavyn waved at Cuaroc and the Elundarí as she said, "Good-bye, everyone! I hope we get the chance to meet again!"

_Good-bye, Heavyn Lee. Good-bye, X-blade. May we indeed meet again once more._


	49. Chapter 44

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine. I also don't own Grey Poupon mustard (not even a single bottle hiding in the back of the fridge)

* * *

As soon as she passed through the Rock of Kuthain once more, Heavyn promptly had the X-blade connect with the others.

"HEAVYN!" shouted a chorus of voices in her head, relief resounding through that one word.

Wincing at the mental shout, Heavyn quickly shook her head and replied, "Hey, guys, sorry I didn't contact you earlier. Did I miss anything?"

"Besides Nasuada being furious at you for leaving and everyone else getting worried about you? Nope," Riku replied.

As soon as he finished, Sora broke in, "Where have you _been_? We've all tried contacting you multiple times, but each time the X-blade wouldn't patch us through, saying it couldn't even get through to you!"

"We're at a place called Vroengard," answered the X-blade.

"Vroengard?" came Kairi's voice.

Heavyn answered, "It was the home of the Dragon Riders before Galbatorix came on the scene."

"What are you doing _there_, of all places?"

"This was where the X-blade brought me. I wasn't really paying attention much," responded Heavyn sheepishly, "and the X-blade made sure to yell at me for it… amongst other things."

"Wait, the X-blade yelled at you?" came the incredulous response of Riku.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I _was_ acting rather immature, now that I can look back on it."

Sora queried, "So… does that mean you'll tell us what that was all about?"

"It can wait until I get back. I have to tell Eragon and Saphira something about what I found here on Vroengard, anyway," replied Heavyn, hoping that they would be able to settle for only what Braig had told her, and not about the deeper meanings behind it. While her friendship with the three Islanders was growing deeper and deeper by the day, she didn't feel ready yet to reveal one of her biggest secrets…

The X-blade interrupted, "We'll be back soon enough, so make sure that you let Nasuada and the others know!"

"I'll report to Lady Nasuada," came Riku's response. "Sora, would you mind telling Eragon and Saphira? And Kairi, why don't you tell Arya?"

"Got it," came the other's acknowledgement.

Smiling underneath her helmet, Heavyn broadcasted, "Alright, guys, I'll see you soon!"

As the others sent their short-term farewells, Heavyn threw the X-blade into the air. Once it flew back down to her, the two of them left Vroengard, and all that it contained…

* * *

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Hey, X-blade, you hear that?" inquired Heavyn as the X-blade followed the path that Heavyn couldn't remember taking.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Yeah… doesn't it kinda sound like Saphira flying?"

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Eyebrows furrowing under the helmet that Heavyn hadn't summoned off yet, she slowly replied, "You know what, it does… yet, it also doesn't."

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

"Well, who else could it be?"

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Eyes widening at the implications of the X-blade's questions, Heavyn immediately started to search her surroundings. If she could hear the flapping wings, that meant that they would soon be visible…

There!

Far off in the distance, a giant red blur soared above the countryside. There was only one giant creature that Heavyn knew was red and lived on Alagaësia…

"Thorn…" she breathed. "It's Murtagh and Thorn!"

"Murtagh? You don't mean the one you told us is working for Galbatorix?!"

"Hey, I also told you he's working for Galbatorix _unwillingly_," Heavyn retorted lightly. Coming to another impulse decision, she announced, "Let's go talk to him!"

"Heavyn, are you CRAZY?!"

"In this case, a little bit," Heavyn acknowledged. "However, since we're not of this world, maybe we can use that as a loophole for Murtagh to help the Varden take down the King. After all, he _and_ Thorn are enslaved by that madman."

Remaining silent for a moment, the X-blade relented, "Alright… but you're NOT sending me away. It would be really, really, REALLY bad if Galbatorix got a hold of us."

"Deal."

Having come to an agreement, the X-blade and its Wielder adjusted their flight path to intersect with the trapped Rider.

* * *

Murtagh frowned lightly as Thorn flew steadily towards Dras-Leona. Something strange was pinging on his conciousness… too large to be a bird, yet too small to be his brother and Saphira. Expanding his mind out, he was surprised to feel nothing more than just a sense of its presence.

Whatever it was, though, it was moving fast.

"Excuse me!"

If it hadn't been for his flying lessons with the King and Shruikan, Murtagh was sure he would've fallen off of Thorn when he heard the female voice suddenly next to him. Thorn himself jolted with surprise in midair, and it was only through sheer force of will that he managed to stabilize himself.

Once dragon and Rider were secure enough in their minds to continue flying, as one they turned towards the source of the stranger's voice. An armored female (the cut of the armor, not to mention the voice, could only belong to a woman) was somehow _flying._ A female that was somehow flying _side by side_ with a dragon, while riding a strange contraption that looked to be made of part weapon.

"Do you have any Grey Poupon?" asked the strange woman.

* * *

Heavyn couldn't help herself- she burst out laughing when she saw the faces of poor Murtagh and Thorn. They were obviously _so_ confused.

"Huh?" came the only response that the enslaved Rider could make.

Blinking fast to get rid of the tears that filled her eyes as she tried to calm herself down (wearing armor at this point really sucked), she apologized, "Sorry, I had always wanted to ask that, and the opportunity was there…" Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Anyway, could you and Thorn possibly take a break from flying? We need to talk."

Frowning with obvious suspicion, Murtagh nonetheless nodded. Together, the three (plus the X-blade) proceeded to head towards the nearest place where Thorn could land safely.

Murtagh wasted no time. Jumping off of Thorn with a speed Heavyn knew was more than likely due to Galbatorix and the Elundarí he had enslaved then gifted to Murtagh, the Rider pulled out what could only be Zar'roc and pointed it at her as he demanded, "Who are you?" Behind him, Thorn growled threateningly, obviously warning Heavyn that he and his Rider were not to be trifled with.

Jumping off of the X-blade herself, she pressed down on the armor amulet as Heavyn sensed the X-blade returning to its normal form. Grasping it in her right hand, she brought it to a peaceful position as she replied, "My name is Heavyn, Murtagh Morzansson, Thorn, and I am the Wielder of the X-blade."

Sensing the formal tone that Heavyn had decided to use for this delicate part of the meeting, the X-blade added, "And I am the X-blade itself."

Murtagh unintentionally lowered Zar'roc as he and Thorn both stared at the talking weapon. "Impossible…" Murtagh breathed.

"Traveling between worlds should also technically be impossible, yet we, along with several other Keyblade Wielders, have done that as well," Heavyn responded gently.

Staring into her eyes, it was obvious that Murtagh had instantly realized the full aspects of her simple sentence. "What do you want with us?" he inquired, eyes slightly narrowing.

Meeting his eyes fully, Heavyn slightly raised her head as she answered, "I offer a trade, and I think it's one you might like."

"A trade of what?"

"Information."

* * *

A/N: Mucho cookies to those who can guess which movie Heavyn is referencing when she first greets Murtagh. Seriously- ever since my dad had that movie playing in the background at dinner MONTHS ago, I have been wanting to use that joke at this particular point in the story. Poor Murtagh... anyhoo, so yeah, short chapter this time around. However, recently I have become the proud owner of a copy of the Mark of Mastery edition of Dream Drop Distance, and that baby had been demanding some attention, so I have been neglecting some of my other babies (not to mention that I felt it was a good place to cut off). Sorry about that...


	50. Chapter 45

*I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Inheritance cycle, or any of their characters, though Heavyn is mine.

* * *

Murtagh narrowed his eyes slightly, skeptical that the girl in front of him would have any information that he would need. "Information about what?" he inquired.

The girl who had introduced herself as Heavyn replied, "You tell me any information that you can give to me about Galbatorix and his plans, and I'll tell you of one way that I know of to change your true name somewhat quickly, thus freeing you from that monster. Interested?"

"You're bluffing. How can _you_ have any knowledge of how to escape Galbatorix?" the enslaved Rider challenged. "For that matter, if you _are_ from another world as you've implied, why should you even care about what happens to anyone on Alagaësia, anyway?!"

"A valid question, and one easily explained," Heavyn replied. "You see, my world has the ability to record the stories of other worlds, and the tale of Alagaësia is one of those stories. Normally, residents of my world are unable to travel outside of its borders. Thanks to the X-blade, however, I've gained that ability, and thus I now have the opportunity to set things right. Not to mention that, should Galbatorix stay on the throne for much longer, then _my_ foe may consider forming an alliance with him, which would definitely be a Bad Idea in all capital letters. My fellow Keyblade Wielders and I have already dealt with one of Xehanort's minions here on Alagaësia, and thanks to that the Heartless have been introduced to this world. It is imperative, therefore, that I give whatever help I can give… even if it's just simple information."

The grey-eyed man gazed at the odd girl. If she knew of a way to change his true name… _Thorn, what do you think?_

_I'm not sure_, replied the dragon, who also stared at her, trying to gauge the potential danger. _She _seems_ genuine… however she could also be a very skilled actress._

_Should we try to have her share her side first before we make our decision?_

For the first time in this strange encounter, Thorn turned towards his rider. _No_, he protested, _if we did that then we'd be as dishonorable as the egg-breaker. We shall take the honorable way and decide first, then inform her of our decision._

Murtagh inwardly sighed, even as he once again noted Thorn's refusal to name Galbatorix and instead using one of his regular insults for the man. _What I really want to know is what she plans on doing should we refuse her request._

_Then why don't you just ask her?_

Unable to argue with Thorn on that point, Murtagh asked aloud, "What if we refuse to give you the information?"

"I'll respect your decision and leave peacefully," answered the raven-haired girl. "In addition, I swear that I will not tell the Varden about this meeting, and instead simply twist it so that I only avoided you instead."

"Would you swear in the ancient language?"

"If I knew the appropriate phrase, I would. However, forgive my caution, but I will not repeat any phrase you say in case it's a trap to force me into Galbatorix's service. In addition, should you try to prevent me from leaving after you refuse my offer I _will_ fight you and Thorn. I will not hesitate to severely hurt the both of you, although I will not kill either of you."

"And if we tried to kill _you_?"

In response, the girl angled herself towards a nearby tree. Raising her strange weapon, she simply cried out, "Gravity!"

To the amazement of the dragon and Rider, a strange black ball formed above the tree and began to envelop it. As the tree flattened from the obvious force, Thorn blurted to his Rider, _She just used magic without the ancient language! Isn't that supposed to be impossible for you two-legs?_

_Yes, it is_, answered Murtagh. _Even Galbatorix has to use it… so how can _she_ do magic without the ancient language?_ Aloud he demanded, "How did you do that?!"

"I learned how to do magic long before I came to Alagaësia, so your guys' rules don't exactly apply to me or my fellow Keyblade Wielders," she answered with a shrug.

Dragon and Rider glanced at each other, then Murtagh asked his final question. "What if the oaths we were forced to make prevent us from giving information to you."

"Do your oaths mention anything about not corroborating with someone _not_ from Alagaësia? I might just be that loophole you need to help free yourselves from Galbatorix."

_She's got a point,_ commented Thorn.

With that comment, Murtagh's decision was made. "What do you want to know?"

Heavyn smiled.

* * *

"You actually did it," the X-blade commented silently, shock filling its voice. "You actually managed to get him to give us information!"

"Told you I would," responded Heavyn smugly. "It was obvious he was considering my offer when he went silent to confer with Thorn, and I knew that with him, honesty is the best policy considering how little he gets of it." Aloud, she simply stated, "I'll take whatever information you're willing to give me, Murtagh."

Murtagh once more glanced at his dragon, then returned his gaze back to her. "I shall pass on two pieces of information to you- the location of the final dragon egg, and the reason why Galbatorix has been sequestered in Urû'baen lately."

Something about the way he mentioned the second piece sent a chill down Heavyn's spine. "I'm not going to like that reason, am I?" As Murtagh shook his head, Heavyn sighed, "Okay… well, give it to me anyway."

Nodding, Murtagh began, "First, the location of the final dragon egg- originally, Thorn's and the other dragon's egg had been in my father's old castle to throw the Varden off. However, when Thorn hatched for me Galbatorix apparently thought that Thorn and I would be enough protection, and moved the last egg back into his castle in Urû'baen. It is now sitting deep in the underground part of the castle."

"Got it," Heavyn nodded. Inwardly, she cheered at this prime bit of information. While it was unfortunate that it would be difficult for the Varden to free the egg… knowing its definite location would surely help them out.

"Now, for the other piece of information…" At this, Murtagh took a deep breath, as if to brace himself for what he was about to say. "The reason why Galbatorix has been sequestered in his citadel is because he has been searching for the true name of the ancient language… and I'm sorry to say that he has recently succeeded."

Heavyn felt her heart skipping a beat at this. Instantly, she was reminded of the last Ra'zac's words to Eragon- _He is close to finding the true name_. This was really, really, REALLY bad news!

"Why is that so important?" asked the X-blade aloud.

Glancing down at the blade, Heavyn answered, "Knowing the name of the language means he has _control_ of the language, and can do _anything_ he wants with it! Lie while speaking it, breaking established oaths… you name it, he can do it now."

"What's more, what he intends to do with it… it's horrible," added Murtagh.

Sharply looking back at him, Heavyn demanded, "What do you mean?"

"He intends to subjugate every single magic user and force them to do his will by controlling who can use magic. Those who refuse to serve him will be unable to use magic."

"Frickafracka!" Heavyn spat out. "How did he figure it out?!"

"I don't know," responded Murtagh, shaking his head. "I've only felt its effects… and I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that it _is_ the Name of Names."

Taking a deep breath, Heavyn closed her eyes to try and put this information to the back of her mind. Although the news upset her, ultimately she could do nothing about it except warn the Varden- even _if_ Galbatorix were to try and control the Keyblade Wielder's magic, thanks to how they all have been taught it would ultimately be for naught.

"Thank you, Murtagh. The news will most certainly be helpful," she finally said. "Now, to fulfill my end of the bargain- a way to change your true name."

"You know, I'm curious about this myself, Heavyn," remarked the X-blade. "What _is_ a true name, anyway?"

Surprisingly, it was Murtagh who answered. "A true name is the essence of anything, whether it be living or not. To know the true name of something grants you power over it."

"Hence, why it's a Very Bad Thing that Galbatorix knows the true name of the ancient language," added Heavyn. "I'll explain more later, X-blade, okay?"

"Alright… but I'll hold you to it!" came the response.

Nodding, Heavyn turned her attention back towards the one who needed to hear the story she was about to tell. "Keep this in mind, Murtagh, as you hear this tale- what I say is the truth. Understand?" When he nodded, she began, "Once upon a time, there was a woman from a small farming community who was wooed away by a very powerful man. This man was a loyal servant of Galbatorix, however to the woman it didn't matter, for at the time she loved him.

"The man, however, took advantage of her love and turned her into one of his most powerful weapons by learning her true name and binding her to him. Over time, she became greatly feared throughout the Empire for her deeds, and even today those who hear of her deeds turn as white as a corpse. It was during the height of the man's control over her, however, that one of the most profound moments of her life took place- she became a mother."

Yep, it was obvious that Murtagh realized who she was speaking about, if his wide-eyed sharp glance at her meant anything.

"While this event _did_ start the changing of her true name, it was when she met a man who disguised himself as a gardener that fully changed it. For you see, when she became a mother she realized at just how awful the father of her child was, and promptly fell out of love with him. Her meeting the pseudo-gardener was the final nail in the coffin for her old true name. She and the spy fell in love, and the woman gave the spy much-needed information to help take down the man who had once bound her while also becoming much kinder to the less fortunate than she had previously done. Unfortunately, however, she conceived a child with the spy, and fearing for her unborn child fled to her old home in order to give birth to him away from the one who would murder him. The birth took too much out of her, unfortunately, and she eventually died."

For a brief moment, Heavyn worried for Murtagh. His spine had stiffened up so much during her tale that she feared he had caused injury to it. However, considering that he what he had just heard obviously had dealt at least one serious hammer-blow to what he had once known… it was understandable, to say the least.

"So… tell me- how does this woman's tale relate to me?" he finally inquired in a tight voice.

"Don't you see? It was the love for her eldest child that began the change and the love for the spy that had once sought to simply infiltrate her home was the thing to fully enable it," came the answer. "Love, no matter what its form, can change you so profoundly that your true name will reflect this."

Jaw tightening, Murtagh almost spat out, "And you think I have someone that I could love enough to change me, huh? Shows—"

"What about Nasuada?" Heavyn interrupted. As she had gambled, Murtagh stopped his rant immediately and stared at her with surprise. "Didn't you begin to like her in a romantic way when you were held as a political prisoner by her father and she came to visit you?" When he remained silent, she coaxed, "All you have to do is continue to follow the path you once began on, and I'm sure you could finally break Galbatorix's hold over you. It won't be instant by any means… but it _will _be effective, this I promise you."

The enslaved Rider was silent for several long moments. It was only when Thorn gave him a gentle nudge that finally prompted him to respond once more. "This woman… did she truly love her elder son?"

"So much so that he was an effective tool for his father to control her with," Heavyn replied.

"And the spy whom she fell in love with… did either of the sons meet him?"

Smiling, Heavyn answered, "Yes, actually, both of them did. Anything more, however, you'll need to ask the younger son, for it is his place to tell, not mine."

Nodding slowly, Murtagh's face seemed to show his acceptance of this. "I… have a lot to think about," he finally admitted. "Thank you, however, for telling me this."

"You're welcome," she replied with an understanding smile. "Now, I've got to get back to my friends, for I know that they are _extremely_ worried about me." As she threw the X-blade up into the air, she added, "I do hope, however, that we can meet again someday Murtagh, Thorn."

For the first time, a small smile graced Murtagh's face. "I would like that, as well."

Suddenly, a surprisngly musical voice added, _So will I._

Heavyn's jaw dropped as she heard Thorn's voice for the very first time. It was _nothing_ like she had imagined, and she instantly realized the incredible honor of hearing it. As the glider form of the X-blade flew down, unexpectedly a phrase in the ancient language popped into her head. She wasn't sure if she had read or heard it before… yet when she realized the translated meaning, the ravenette realized at how appropriate it was for this moment.

Hopping onto her glider, she turned towards Murtagh and Thorn. "Sé mor'ranr ono finna," she stated simply, being careful not to turn it into a spell.

Surprised looks filled their faces at this. As she began to fly away, she heard Murtagh call out, "Farewell, X-blade Wielder!"

_Farewell,_ added Thorn.

Turning back, Heavyn waved a final farewell to them. When she saw Murtagh begin to climb back into Thorn's saddle, she faced forward once more.

"Hey, Heavyn, who was that woman you were talking about?" inquired the X-blade as it angled itself back towards the Varden camp.

Smiling a small smile, she answered, "The story was about Murtagh and Eragon's mother, Selena."

Shock filling their bond, the X-blade protested, "You're not serious!"

"I am," retorted Heavyn. "Her tale was told in the third book."

Silence filled the air for several minutes as the X-blade absorbed this. Then… "And the phrase that you told them? What did it mean?"

"It simply means, 'May you find peace.'"

"Appropriate," came the X-blade's comment after several moments.

* * *

A/N: Le gasp! It's an actual update! I actually wrote this while staying up through an entire night, so if I get anything wrong PLEASE let me know. I would greatly appreciate once I'm more awake than I am right now...


	51. Announcement, please read!

Fans of 'The X-blade Wielder'-

First of all, I want to apologize for this not being a chapter. Normally I hate these A/N updates myself, however at this particular time I find it necessary.

You see, thanks to an upcoming project with jgresidentevil I am going to be TEMPORARILY placing this story on hiatus. However, that DOESN'T mean that Heavyn's adventures will be put on hold.

However, you're going to have to wait until the official BIG announcement to see what I mean~!

In the meantime, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and as a consolation you can have up to three theories of yours either confirmed or denied about what will happen in the future of 'The X-blade Wielder'. Whether it's the identity of a Fragment World, what you guess might've happened to Repliku, ANYTHING- I will give you three free questions to ask of me, and they will be answered. I will ask, however, that you keep them to yes or no questions if possible.

If you review as a guest, however, then your questions will NOT be answered, for this website will not allow me to send messages to anonymous people. You MUST sign in to be able for me to answer your questions.

Oh, and one more thing- none of your questions can be about the upcoming project. They HAVE to be about 'X-blade Wielder'.

Hope to hear from all of you (or some of you, I'm not really picky) soon!


	52. The long anticipated announcement!

Hello, everyone!

Almost two months ago I had made an announcement stating that the story was going to be put on temporary hiatus due to an upcoming project with jgresidentevil. Well, for those who have been wondering why, the answer is finally here!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are having a MASSIVE crossover!

That's right, Heavyn Lee, the star of 'The X-blade Wielder', is going to visit the world of jgresidentevil's 'Hinata Chronicles'!

He had actually approached me with this idea a LONG time ago, and admittedly at first I was against it due to me being overprotective over Heavyn. However, as time went on the idea grew on me until finally I caved in.

Now, the story is still in the planning stages, so if you're looking for the first chapter anytime soon… well, it's not up yet and probably won't be up for at least several months. HOWEVER, I can give you the title and the basic premise!

The story is going to be called 'Road to X-blade' (although granted, if we come up with a better title then we'll definitely change it), and it's going to be classified under 'could-be canon' for both 'X-blade Wielder' and 'Hinata Chronicles'. As for the basic premise, it goes a little something like this:

_Sometime after their return from Radiant Garden battling the Data Org. XIII, Hinata, Xion, and Naruto are sent by Lady Tsunade to investigate a strange Heartless that had been sighted in a nearby forest. When they arrive, they find the massive Heartless and proceed to battle it._

_Meanwhile, Heavyn Lee is returning to the Varden and her friends Sora, Riku, and Kairi after her experiences at Vroengard and her talk with Murtagh and Thorn. Along the way, she almost literally flies into a massive Heartless. Seeing that she's the only one around who could defeat it, she realizes she has no choice but to fight it on her own with only the X-blade at her side._

_During both of their fights, the massive Heartless suddenly summons a wormhole and tries to throw its foes into it. While Hinata, Xion, and Naruto manage to avoid it thanks to their shinobi training and teamwork, Heavyn is unfortunately caught and thrown in._

_When she tumbles out, Heavyn is startled to find that the Heartless seems to have changed color and three others are battling it as well. Pushing her confusion to the side, she joins them and together the four manage to drive off the Heartless._

_After it escapes, the four finally face each other for the first time. Xion, Hinata, and Naruto are confused about the girl who wields what was supposed to have been destroyed over ten years ago, while Heavyn is confused about how Xion is alive once more and how Hinata has managed to gain a Keyblade of her own. It soon becomes clear when she is unable to contact her friends via the X-blade, however, that she is definitely not in the universe she had known._

_Escorting Heavyn to Konoha and bringing her to Lady Tsunade, the Konoha shinobi plus Xion eventually agree to help Heavyn find her way back to her own universe in return for her help with an upcoming mission that almost promises to be more than it appears. And thus, the adventure begins…_

So, that's the basic idea for the story. I hope you guys are as excited as I am about this, and if you have any questions feel free to ask me or jgresidentevil!


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